Filipina-American student among victims of California bar shooting

California bar shooting
Alaina Punzalan Housley was among the victims of Wednesday’s California bar shooting

An 18-year-old Filipino-American student was among the 12 victims of the recent California bar shooting.

The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) today (Friday, November 9) identified Alaina Punzalan Housley, a freshman student at Pepperdine University, as one of those killed late on Wednesday evening.

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“The Department of Foreign Affairs expresses its deepest condolences to the family of Alaina Punzalan Housley, who was among the 12 people killed in the shooting incident,” the department said in a statement.

Consul General Adel Angelito Cruz of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles relayed the information to the DFA.

“Consul General Cruz said the Consulate General is checking with authorities if there are other members of the 25,879 Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in Ventura Country who are among the dead or injured in the incident,” the DFA said.

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Ian David Long, a 28-year-old US Marine Corps combat veteran opened fire on the crowded country music bar killing 12 people and injuring 23 others. The gunman, suspected to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, also took his own life.

Alaina was a “straight A student” who loved playing the piano and violin, her Filipino grandfather has said. Interviewed on News To Go today, Ernie Punzalan said based on information reaching them, Alaina was with her college friends enjoying a night out when the shooting began.

The grandfrather, from Bataan, said Alaina, who was born and raised in the US, was an English major with dreams of studying law.

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The Malacañang has extended its condolences with the families of all the victims of the shooting.

“The palace offers its heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the families of those who perished in the latest mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California late Wednesday evening,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement today.

After confirming Alaina’s death, he added: “We express our deep condolences to her family and loved ones.”

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