Here's what we know:
How the shooting unfolded
The first call of shots fired came in to police at 11:20 p.m. PT Wednesday.
The gunman shot a bouncer or security guard outside and forced his way inside the bar, according to witnesses.
Several witnesses said he shot a young woman working the counter just inside.
"I see that girl every single time I'm there," witness Holden Harrah told CNN, fighting back tears. "I don't know her name but (she) is someone I make small contact with and I say hi every time."
The gunman
The shooter, using a short-barreled handgun, was described by witnesses as wearing a black trench coat and eyeglasses, and had a black beard. It's not known if he shot himself or was killed by police. He has not been identified. "We don't know anything about him yet," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said early Thursday.
The victims
Twelve people were killed, including a responding Ventura County sheriff's deputy, Ron Helus. Helus was shot multiple times as he entered the bar with a California Highway Patrol officer.
Authorities are not certain of the ages of the victims. Dean estimated the age group is between 21-26 because "this is a nightclub."
Multiple other victims were wounded or sustained minor injuries trying to escape the shooting, Dean said.
Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks is a western-themed establishment known to regularly host country, salsa and swing dancing nights.
According to its website, the venue was hosting a college country night between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. on Wednesday night when the shooting occurred. Hundreds of people were estimated to be inside.
The bar is a few miles from California Lutheran University and is a popular spot for students. Some students from both California Lutheran University and nearby Pepperdine University are believed to have been present at the event on Wednesday night.
Madeleine Carr, news editor at student newspaper the Pepperdine Graphic, told CNN she was aware of freshman students who had planned an outing to the bar Wednesday.
"I was going to go with them tonight but decided not to because of homework but it is a popular place to go because it's local and we do have a lot of people from the south -- it's line dancing it attracts them," she said.
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