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Twelve people have died after a “maniac" gunman burst into a country and western bar in California and opened fire on hundreds of young revellers.

A police spokesman said 12 people died in the shooting, including one "hero" sergeant who rushed to the scene to confront the shooter.

The gunman, 29, is also dead inside the bar, Ventura County Sheriff's spokesman said.

The man, clad from head to toe in black, opened fire on a crowd of people at the student bar with a .45 handgun, police said. His identity has not yet been released.

He is thought to have been armed with a semi-automatic gun and appeared to be proficient with weapons, witnesses said.

Sheriff Geoff Dean addressed reporters and said "this is an ongoing investigation and a tragic, tragic situation".

He said the force received "multiple calls of shots being fired", and their first unit arrived within three minutes.

Upon entering the bar, sergeant Ron Helus, who had been on the force for 29 years and was due to retire, was struck multiple times with gun fire.

Sheriff Geoff Dean of Ventura County hailed his deputy as a hero saying he went in to the bar to save lives.

He said: “Losing Ron is horrific and terrible. There are also parents of the 11 victims in there whose hearts were ripped out tonight. There is no way to describe this.

“Ron was a hard working, dedicated sheriff’s sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all and, as I told his wife, he died a hero.

“He went in to save lives - to save other people.”

The officer was hit by “multiple shots” as soon as he entered the bar. His colleague managed to drag him out of the restaurant.

In an earlier press briefing, Mr Dean said: "11 victims have been killed. The suspect was dead inside and there were multiple other victims of different levels of injury that were rescued from the scene and taken to local hospitals.

"The numbers are upwards of 10 to 12 with minor injuries fled the scene on their own.

"We have no idea if there is a terrorist link to this or not."

The Los Angeles Times reported that at least 30 shots were fired.

Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was inside the bar when a man walked in with his face partly covered by something resembling a ski mask, opened fire on a person working on the door, then began to shoot people at random.

Terrified victims hid under tables and in toilets, smashing windows to escape during the attack.

One witness said: “This maniac came in. Threw in smoke to confuse people and opened fire on the dance floor. He’s taken many young lives.”

Police said hundreds of people were in the bar at the time.

Firefighters and other emergency services are at the scene and are working to secure the area, Ventura County Fire Department said.

"We're still looking for the shooter," Ventura County Sheriff's Captain Garo Kuredjian said as he described the situation as still active. "We can't confirm that the shooter is in custody."

Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures 42 show all Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures 1/42 Teylor Whittler (L) is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 2/42 People comfort each other as they sit near the scene AP 3/42 Sheriff's deputies speak to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP 4/42 Sheriff's deputy speaks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP 5/42 A witness talks to reporters outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks AFP/Getty Images 6/42 A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people EPA 7/42 People walk away from the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP 8/42 People comfort each other as they stand near the scene AP 9/42 Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 10/42 This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images 11/42 An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP 12/42 People comfort each other as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP 13/42 This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images 14/42 Distraught onlookers at the scene 15/42 Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 16/42 Emergency services outside the Borderline Bar and Grill ABC 17/42 Ambulance at the scene KABC 18/42 SWAT police preparing to raid the restaurant ABC7 19/42 Google Streetview of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks where the shooting has taken place Google 20/42 EPA 21/42 Emergency services ABC7 22/42 A victim receives treatment ABC7 23/42 Emergency Services ABC7 24/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 25/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting KABC 26/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 27/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 28/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 29/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 30/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 31/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 32/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 33/42 In this image made from aerial video, officials tend to a person on the ground in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California AP 34/42 First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, U.S Reuters 35/42 Friends of attendees at the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people wait to hear news of their friends in Thousand Oaks EPA 36/42 Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks EPA 37/42 Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 38/42 Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 39/42 First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California REUTERS 40/42 This photo obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows police officers interviewing people outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, in the Los Angeles-area, after a gunman opened fire AFP/Getty Images 41/42 An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP 42/42 A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people is hugged by relatives in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 1/42 Teylor Whittler (L) is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 2/42 People comfort each other as they sit near the scene AP 3/42 Sheriff's deputies speak to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP 4/42 Sheriff's deputy speaks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP 5/42 A witness talks to reporters outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks AFP/Getty Images 6/42 A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people EPA 7/42 People walk away from the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP 8/42 People comfort each other as they stand near the scene AP 9/42 Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 10/42 This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images 11/42 An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP 12/42 People comfort each other as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP 13/42 This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images 14/42 Distraught onlookers at the scene 15/42 Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 16/42 Emergency services outside the Borderline Bar and Grill ABC 17/42 Ambulance at the scene KABC 18/42 SWAT police preparing to raid the restaurant ABC7 19/42 Google Streetview of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks where the shooting has taken place Google 20/42 EPA 21/42 Emergency services ABC7 22/42 A victim receives treatment ABC7 23/42 Emergency Services ABC7 24/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 25/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting KABC 26/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 27/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 28/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 29/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 30/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 31/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 32/42 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News 33/42 In this image made from aerial video, officials tend to a person on the ground in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California AP 34/42 First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, U.S Reuters 35/42 Friends of attendees at the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people wait to hear news of their friends in Thousand Oaks EPA 36/42 Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks EPA 37/42 Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 38/42 Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA 39/42 First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California REUTERS 40/42 This photo obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows police officers interviewing people outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, in the Los Angeles-area, after a gunman opened fire AFP/Getty Images 41/42 An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP 42/42 A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people is hugged by relatives in Thousand Oaks, California EPA

Witnesses ran to a nearby petrol station for help after shots were fired by the gunman, who reportedly threw smoke grenades around the dance floor area.

Reports suggest that survivors of the deadly Las Vegas shooting, at Route 91 Harvest music festival, were in attendance during the shooting.

A man outside of the bar said he had not heard from friends just yet, but was not too worried.

He said: "A lot of my friends survived Route 91. If they survived that, they will survive this."

Local media are reporting that the gunman walked up to a security guard and shot him before he opened fire in the building.

A statement from Ventura County Fire Department said: "Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline. Please stay away from area.

"Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested."

Police responded to the incident at 99 Rolling Oaks Drive at around 11.30pm local time (7.30am UK time).

Borderline bar, a western-style bar with a dance floor, was holding a college country night on Wednesday night.

Nick Steinwender, student body president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were inside.

"It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out," Mr Steinwender told KABC.

He said he heard from people inside that they were hiding in bathrooms and the attic of the bar.

Shootings of any kind are very rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles north west of Los Angeles.