Somber remembrance marks 4th anniversary of Borderline Bar and Grill mass shooting in Thousand Oaks

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (KABC) -- It's been four years since the tragic shooting that killed 12 people who were out having a good time.

Family and friends of the victims gathered at the Healing Garden to mark the somber anniversary. This quiet place was dedicated one year after the massacre at the Borderline Bar and Grille.

It was a time to reflect and join others who understand what they're going through.

There are 12 smalls fountains in the healing garden -- one for each of the deceased victims.

It was college night at the Borderline Bar and Grill that night. There were a number of students from nearby Cal Lutheran University enjoying a night with friends...

Twelve people were shot and killed that night; the shooter died from a self inflicted gunshot wound. There were nearly 300 people inside the restaurant at the time.

Four years later-there's still a lot of healing that needs to be done. The Ventura County district attorney says the families of the victims are still eligible for help from the state to help them deal with their loss.

Erik Nasarenko says grieving does not have an expiration date. It's a lifelong journey process, And the California Victims compensation board allows for victims up until 2025 of the Borderline crime to receive mental health counseling support, financial assistance help with therapy as well as income loss.

"I think for me being part of Given Hour and giving back services to the community has been a huge help in my healing," Molly Maurer, who survived the incident. "You know, four years seems like a long time, but every day is a new day and every day is a different day. Some are good, some are bad. So being able to offer services has been really helpful in my healing over the past four years. "