Oklahoma Woman Describes Horrifying Moments In California Shooting

A college freshman from Choctaw talked exclusively with News 9 Friday about what she experienced at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California Wednesday night. 

Janie Souza is studying sports medicine at Pepperdine University.  She says she was in the country dance club just after eleven Wednesday night when 28-year-old Ian Long began his gunshot rampage, killing 12 people.

“The girl next to me, I don’t know her name, I have no idea who she was, I probably will never see her again, but I was holding her hand, and she was starting to really panic,” Souza said.  “And I remember thinking in my head okay, I was getting worked up, and I said okay we both can’t be worked up, somebody’s got to be calm. So I just started praying out loud, and um I really can probably say the Lord is what gave me the peace and calmness in those moments.”

Souza graduated from Christian Heritage Academy in Del City last May. 

Her father served 22 years in the U.S. Air Force, and currently is a pilot for United Airlines.