LOS ANGELES _ A witness said early Thursday that the gunman in the Thousand Oaks shooting was dressed in black when he entered the Borderline Bar & Grill around 11:20 p.m.
Holden Harrah, 21, was among the hundreds inside listening to music Wednesday night as a part of a college night event.
He said he looked over at the front door and saw the man walk in wearing a black hat, glasses and a black shirt. He had a beard, Harrah said.
"He just pulled out a gun and shot my friend that was working the front desk," he said.
The first couple of shots, Harrah said, his voice wavering, hit the girl he knew and immediately everyone dropped to the floor. He said he got access to a side door and ran out.
"I heard more gunshots behind me. I was freaking out," he said.
Little is known about the man who caused so much carnage, killing at least 12 people and injuring more. The suspect himself died in the incident, authorities said
Authorities have not disclosed the suspect's name, but a law enforcement source told The Times that he was 29-year-old man armed with a Glock .45 handgun and some type of smoke device.
He drove his mother's car to the attack and said nothing upon entering the bar, the source said.
The gun was purchased in Ventura County, the source said.
Authorities said the man was heavily tattooed but apparently didn't have identification on him.
Police detectives are trying to determine a motive. "We have no idea if there's a terrorism link," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Thursday.
Police initially learned of the rampage from numerous 911 calls. The first law enforcement personnel arrived on scene at 11:22 p.m., and made entry four minutes later, officials said.
Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer were met with gunfire, according to Dean. Helus was shot several times and died at an area hospital early Thursday morning, he said.
Helus, a 29-year veteran of the department, was planning to retire next year, and Dean said he died "a hero." He is survived by a son and his wife, whom he called before entering the bar, the sheriff said.
About 15 minutes after that initial encounter, a second group of law enforcement personnel arrived and entered the bar, the sheriff said; by then, no gunfire could be heard.
People were hiding in the bar's restrooms and in its attic, Dean said.
The suspect was found down with a gunshot wound when the officers entered the building, the sheriff said.
