The man responsible for the tragic Orange County bar shooting Wednesday night has been identified as John Snowling, a former law enforcement officer from Southern California, as reported by NBC Los Angeles.

The swift response of deputies on the scene led to Snowling being shot and killed just moments after they arrived at Cook's Corner Bar in the Trabuco Canyon area.

This heartbreaking event resulted in the loss of three other lives and was directed towards his estranged wife, according to authorities.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department disclosed that the shooter, Snowling, 59 years old, had previously served as a member of the Ventura Police Department.

Snowling, known to reside in Ohio with a secondary residence in Camarillo, had attained the rank of sergeant during his tenure with the Ventura Police Department.

His career in law enforcement concluded with his retirement from the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

While the motive behind the attack remains under investigation, law enforcement sources have indicated that former California police officer, Snowling, had targeted his estranged wife, who was among those who suffered injuries during the shooting.

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The Orange County Bar Shooting

The chaotic scene at Cook's Corner, a rural establishment in Trabuco Canyon was described by witnesses as a mix of disbelief and panic as a sudden burst of gunfire erupted, per VC Star.

Some individuals were frozen in disbelief, while others instinctively ran for safety when the rapid succession of gunshots began.

Betty Fruichantie, who was in the bar during the shooting, recounted the tumultuous moment. She shared her belief that the shooter was the husband of a friend who had been with her at the bar.

As bullets flew, her friend Marie dropped to the floor, and Fruichantie took cover in a restroom along with other terrified patrons. Upon emerging from their hiding place, Fruichantie described the grim scene of injured people.

Responding to the incident within a remarkably short time frame, authorities arrived at the scene just two minutes after the initial report of the shooting shortly after 7 pm.

The assailant was also swiftly neutralized by law enforcement. The bar was swarmed with numerous patrol cars and ambulances in the aftermath.

Tragically, three additional individuals and the gunman were declared deceased at the scene.

Six more individuals were transported to the hospital, five suffering from gunshot wounds.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department provided updates on social media, indicating that two of the hospitalized individuals were in critical condition.

The Orange County Bar Shooting Gunman

John Snowling, the individual responsible for the tragic Orange Country bar shooting, had previously served as a sergeant in the Ventura Police Department until his retirement in 2014, The Orange County Register noted.

According to Sheriff Don Barnes, Snowling had acquired two or three handguns as a peace officer.

The list of weapons brought to the scene by Snowling and their respective acquisition dates were provided by Barnes:

  • A .380 pistol, acquired in 2014 (It remains uncertain if this purchase occurred before or after Snowling's retirement).

  • A .38-caliber five-shot revolver, obtained in 1987.

  • A .25-caliber pistol, purchased in 1997.

  • A 12-gauge shotgun, acquired after Snowling's retirement in 2016.

While it wasn't definitively established which two handguns Snowling took into Cook's Corner during the incident and which one he retrieved from his truck upon his return, Barnes clarified that Snowling only used the shotgun after returning to his vehicle.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

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