Thu., November 8, 2018 7:45 p.m. | Thursday, November 8, 2018 7:45 p.m.
There have been nearly as many mass shootings in the United States in 2018 as there have been days in the year so far, according to a nonprofit organization that records gun violence data.
The horrific attack carried out in a Thousand Oaks, Calif., bar on Wednesday night was the 307th mass shooting in America this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which classifies a "mass shooting" as a singular event in which at least four people are shot, not including the shooter.
Wednesday marked the 311th day of 2018.
Twelve people were killed Wednesday when the gunman — identified as Ian David Long, a 28-year-old former Marine — opened fire inside the Borderline Bar & Grill.
Among the victims was Ventura County Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, who was killed after responding to the scene of the attack. Helus had served Ventura County for 29 years and was planning to retire in a year or so, according to Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean.
Alaina Housley — the 18-year-old niece of "Sister, Sister" actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and ex-Fox News correspondent Adam Housley — has also been identified as a victim, as have 22-year-old Cody Coffman and 23-year-old California Lutheran University student Justin Meek.
Authorities also found the gunman dead at the scene. Officials believe Long took his own life.
The Gun Violence Archive says more than 12,400 lives in America have been lost in 2018 as the result of gun violence. More than 24,200 have been injured through gun violence, according to the organization's website.
The shooting in Thousand Oaks took place just 11 days after another gunman — identified as Robert Gregory Bowers — carried out an attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11 people.
The deadliest mass shooting of the year took place in February, when 17 students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., lost their lives when a former student, identified as Nikolas Cruz, opened fire. Fourteen of those victims were students.
Then three months later, 10 people were shot and killed at Santa Fe High School in southeastern Texas by alleged gunman Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who was a student at the school. Eight of those victims were students, and the other two were teachers.