By Soumya Karlamangla / Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — The fatal bullet that struck Ventura County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus inside a chaotic shooting scene inside Borderline Bar and Grill in November was fired from a California Highway Patrol officer’s rifle, authorities said Friday.
Helus was hit five times by gunfire from Ian David Long, 28, who was armed with a .45-caliber Glock handgun with a laser sight attached. However, he might have been able to survive those injuries, coroner’s officials said.
The sixth and fatal round, which struck Helus in the chest, was fired from a fellow officer’s gun.
“This news is extremely difficult for all of us to process and understand,” Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said.
Helus and the CHP officer had entered the bar on Nov. 7 to confront Long.
The Borderline Bar and Grill was hosting line-dancing lessons for college students that night when the crack of gunfire echoed through the business about 11:20 p.m.
Long immediately tossed smoke bombs and fired two of his seven high-capacity magazines that packed 30 shots each into the crowd as patrons tried to escape, Ayub said last month.
Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer were the first people to run into the bar, minutes after the first 911 call. Long, who was set up in a tactical position to prepare for responding officers, immediately ambushed them.
They exchanged gunfire, and Helus was shot multiple times.
Long later was found inside the bar with a single gunshot wound to the head. An autopsy determined he had shot himself, authorities said.
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