Thousand Oaks mass shooting victims honored at vigil

Leanne Suter Image
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Thousand Oaks mass shooting victims honored at vigil
Hundreds gathered Monday night in Thousand Oaks to honor the victims of the deadly mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (KABC) -- Hundreds gathered Monday night in Thousand Oaks to honor the victims of the deadly mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill.

It was a rowdy celebration as hundreds turned out to remember the two off-road enthusiasts whose lives were cut short, best friends Blake Dingman and Jake Dunham.

"I can't even express what I feel right now," Kathy Dunham, Jake Dunham's mom said. "It's so amazing how many people have came out."

"Such an outpouring of love. Blake and Jake, they were loved so much," Carol Smith, Blake Dingman's grandmother, said. "They were such fun-loving kids. They had such a good time together."

The best friends were always laughing and looking for a challenge.

"For those guys not to be standing here right now, it's really rough," Austin Troutwine said. "They didn't deserve. None of the 12 people deserved that."

MORE: Thousand Oaks mass shooting: How to help victims

The massive crowd gathering in Thousand Oaks revved the pair's treasured trucks and honored the 21-year-olds' larger than life personalities.

In Camarillo, hundreds showed their support for Cody Coffman, lining up outside Topper Pizza for a fundraiser for his family.

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People stand in a parking lot along South Moorpark Road in the aftermath of a mass shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill, on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018.
Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times

"You can just look at this line and be like 'This is absolutely crazy,'" Jason Coffman said. "My son obviously had a giant impact on the community here. For a father, I raised a good boy."

Back in Thousand Oaks, the crowd focused on Blake and Jake's love of life and loud trucks, their family and friends taking comfort in knowing their friendship continues.

"He's with his best friend up there in heaven," Kathy Dunham said. "They went down together and they're still together right now, and they're going to go out together."