Alaina Housley, a daughter-like niece to Tia Mowry, tragically passed away in Thousand Oaks due to firearm violence. In addition to Tia, several families lost their loved ones in the devastating event.
On November 7, 2018, Alaina Housley, a daughter-like figure to Tia Mowry, passed away in the mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. Besides her, 11 people lost their lives, and 16 people sustained horrible injuries.
Upon hearing the news of her niece’s demise, Tia was heartbroken and expressed her grief on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Our sweet Alaina Housely is gone. We love you. We are devastated.”
Arik Housley, wife, and friends of Alaina mourn her death and protest gun violence in #Napa, today. #ABC7now pic.twitter.com/NwUxzdYc1z
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) November 12, 2018
Afterward, Tia avoided the media for a while, as losing loved ones can take a heavy toll on a person.
Speaking of the incident, the police identified the perpetrator as Ian David Long, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who later passed away from a self-inflicted firearm wound. Additionally, Ian entered the bar with a .45-caliber arm 21 semi-automatic setting at 11:18 p.m.
During the attack, Long fired 61 rounds and threw smoke bombs and fireworks, creating panic among 260 people present at the restaurant.
Tia Mowry’s sister, Tamera Mowry, was devastated after discovering Alaina Housley had passed away!
The news of their niece’s passing equally disturbed both Tia and her twin sister, Tamera Mowry. Moreover, Tamera and her husband, Adam, found out about the tragic incident through social media and then notified the public.
In the post, the couple said, “We just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last night’s shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks. We thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time.”
Tamera Mowry-Housley in 'Disbelief' Over Niece Alaina Housley's Passing: https://t.co/uUDcBXGS7a #ThousandOaks pic.twitter.com/qUqRQa1Qqv
— PopCulture.com (@PopCulture) November 9, 2018
Later, Adam revealed that the 18-year-old was not just his niece but also his goddaughter.
On November 8, 2023, Tamera Mowry paid tribute to her niece on the fifth anniversary of her demise, sharing a picture of them on Instagram. Similarly, in the caption, she wrote, “We think of you daily. We miss you immensely. We love you. Forever.”
Upon hearing this, then-President Joe Biden released a statement to the press, stating that the nation had repeatedly suffered from a devastating epidemic of firearm violence that must stop.
Additionally, Tamera and Adam have honored her memory through several tributes. They have also established the Alaina’s Voice Foundation, which supports people affected by such harrowing incidents.
Additional Information
- Alaina Housley was an 18-year-old freshman at Pepperdine University at the time of her passing. Additionally, she pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree.
- Alaina’s family held her memorial on Sunday, November 18, at the Vintage High School Gymnasium.
- Alaina deeply loved soccer, playing with her team, Napa United, and coaching a youth soccer team. Furthermore, she was also passionate about tennis.
