Sobbing California Bar Shooting Survivor Says Sorry for Leaving: 'I Should've Stayed but I Was Worried About My Boy'

A survivor of the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting has apologized for exiting the scene with his stepson, saying: "I should've stayed...but I was worried about my boy."

Speaking through tears to ABC7's Jory Rand, the stepfather lamented leaving young people at the Thousand Oaks, California, bar in an "absolutely heartbreaking" interview.

Absolutely heartbreaking interview from witness with @ABC7Jory at scene of reported mass shooting at #Borderline in #ThousandOaks. “They’re so young, this shouldn’t have happened to them.” pic.twitter.com/gwHU4XCfaO

— Greg Lee (@abc7greg) November 8, 2018

"I apologize to anybody that got hurt," he said. "They're all young...I'm 56, I've lived a life...this shouldn't have happened to them."

Reporter Greg Lee shared the interview on Twitter, where users rallied behind the sobbing father. "Somebody give that man a hug. He did the right thing," said Twitter user Anne Marie. "Everyone in America needs to see this man's anguish. This can happen anywhere," wrote user Alec Pickard.

"I was at the front door and I was talking to my stepdad. I just started hearing these big pops. Pop, pop, pop," the man's stepson, John Hedge, told ABC7. "The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place. I saw him point to the back of the cash register...and he just kept firing. I ran out the front door."

At least 12 people—including a law enforcement officer—were killed at the Borderline Bar & Grill, when a gunman opened fire late Wednesday night, local time. Police arrived at the scene after receiving reports of an active shooter at the bar, which hosts theme nights for college students.

The gunman was later found dead inside the property.

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Emergency services at the scene following a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, which left 12 people dead. KABC

Witness Tayler Whitler, 19, told KABC-TV the gunman entered wearing what appeared to be a long, dark trench coat and something like a ski mask. "It was really, really shocking," she said. "It looked like he knew what he was doing."

"It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, hopping over gates and just trying to get out," student Nick Steinwender added.

Some students from Pepperdine University in Malibu were known to visit the bar—which has a western theme—on Wednesdays for College Country Nights. An unknown number of students may have been at the bar, a statement from the university shared by Lee on Twitter, said.

"At this time the University is working to identify and provide support to those students," the statement continued. "Pepperdine officials are in contact with appropriate governmental agencies and will provide updates on the status of the situation as information is available."

Statement from @pepperdine regarding reported mass shooting at #Borderline in #ThousandOaks. Confirms several #Pepperdine students were there tonight along with students from colleges and community colleges all over the area. Pepp‘s my alma mater. Just awful. @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/ilcQx7WHu1

— Greg Lee (@abc7greg) November 8, 2018

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Katherine Hignett is a reporter based in London. She currently covers current affairs, health and science. Prior to joining Newsweek ... Read more

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