The niece of actress Tamera Mowry-Housley was among those killed after a gunman opened fire on a southern California bar, taking the lives of 12 people late Wednesday evening.
The Sister Sister actress and her husband, Fox News Channel correspondent Adam Housley, released a statement Thursday afternoon confirming their niece Alaina Housley was killed at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. “Our hearts are broken,” the pair said in a statement. “We just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last night’s shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks.”
“Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner,” the statement continued. “We thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time.”
Earlier, Pepperdine University classmate of Housley’s took to Twitter, stating her friend had gone missing and offered a brief description of her attire. “My suitemate is still missing, she is wearing denim shorts, a blue flannel and sneakers, pls let me know if you know anything,” she wrote.
The Daily Mail reports Housley’s iPhone and Apple Watch indicated she was located inside the bar following the massacre. Her Fox News correspondent uncle headed over to the hospital in search for his niece at 3:30 a.m. local time. “My gut is saying she’s inside the bar, dead. I’m hoping I’m wrong,” he told the Los Angeles Times prior to receiving official confirmation of her death. As the suspected gunman David Ian Long, 29, opened fire on patrons, Alaina’s friends are said to have leaped out of a shattered window and lost her soon after.
The pair are currently receiving treatment in the hospital for major injuries.
Justin Meek and Cody Coffman were also identified as those shot dead.
Cody Coffman’s father, Justin, told reporters as he fought back tears that the last thing he told his son was “I love you.”