Uncle of Thousand Oaks bar patron: 'My gut is saying she’s inside the bar, dead'

The uncle of a young college student who was at a bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif., on Wednesday night when shots rang out says he fears the worst may have happened to his niece.

Adam Housley, a former national correspondent at Fox News, told the Los Angeles Times that his niece, 18-year-old Pepperdine freshman Alaina Housley, was reveling with friends at Borderline Bar & Grill when a gunman stormed in, killing at least 12 people, including one law enforcement official.

Alaina Housley is also the niece of actress and "The Real" host Tamera Mowry-Housley.

Adam Housley told the outlet that he arrived at Los Robles Regional Medical Center around 3:30 a.m. on Thursday morning looking for Alaina, but was prevented from entering by a guard who said the facility was on lockdown.

Family members of Alaina were able to track her Apple Watch and iPhone, both of which showed her location as on the dance floor of Borderline Bar & Grill, unmoving, which led them to fear the worst.

"My gut is saying she’s inside the bar, dead," Housley said. "I'm hoping I'm wrong."

"You just don’t think that — same stupid quote — you just don’t think it’s going to happen to you," he added.

A student named Ashley, who identified herself as Alaina's suitemate, took to Twitter shortly after the shooting to share photos of the missing teen and ask for the public's help in finding her.

"My suitemate is still missing, she is wearing denim shorts, a blue flannel and sneakers, pls let me know if you know anything," the young woman wrote.

The gunman, identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, entered the establishment shortly before midnight, deployed a smoke bomb and opened fire.

Long, who witnesses say was dressed in all black with his face partly covered, was still firing his weapon indiscriminately when first responders arrived on the scene.

Photos from the scene:

Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, was shot multiple times while entering the bar and tragically died later on from his injuries.

The shooter's body was later found inside the bar, but it remains unclear how he died.

Wednesday's attack was the most deadly mass shooting in the U.S. since 17 teachers and students were gunned down at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February.