“Our hearts are broken. We just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last night’s shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks,” the couple said in the statement. “Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner. We thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time.”
Tamera Mowry-Housley, twin star of the hit series “Sister, Sister” from the 1990s, was searching for her niece on the morning of Nov. 8, after a deadly shooting the night before at a Southern California country dance bar that left at least 12 dead.
The actress and her husband, former Fox News correspondent Adam Housley, were in contact with a young woman named Ashley on Twitter, who posted photos of her suitemate, saying she was missing.
The suitemate was later identified as Alaina Housley, Tamera and Adam’s niece.
Ashley said Alaina was wearing denim shorts, a blue flannel shirt, and sneakers.
Mowry-Housley responded to her tweet, saying, “Ashely this is her aunt Tamera Mowry Housley. Can you please DM me your information?”
Ashley then said that she talked to Adam and that Alaina was the only one out of “a handful of girls [who] went to line dance tonight” who were still missing.
Mowry-Housley’s twin sister Tia Mowry, also from the show “Sister, Sister,” later posted a photo with Alaina on Instagram, writing, “Alaina Housely we are praying. We love u! If you know anything or any information please let us know. We love you!”
Reporter Andrea Castillo posted on Twitter that Adam Housley went looking for his niece at the Los Robles Regional Medical Center, but a guard “didn’t let him through, saying it was on lockdown.”
Castillo said Alaina’s Apple Watch and iPhone still showed her location at the dance floor of the Borderline Bar & Grill, where the shooting took place in Thousand Oaks.
Housely also sent out messages on Twitter asking people to pray, and hours went by with no information available.
Mowry-Housley posted a photo of Alaina on Instagram in March 2017, with the caption, “My niece Alaina Housley. I can’t believe I met her when she was five. She now is a Junior in high school doing a photo shoot with a 70’s theme. Kill it beauty. Good luck in all your future endeavors.”
A gunman dressed entirely in black opened fire at the Borderline Bar & Grill, which was holding a weekly “college night” on Wednesday, killing at least 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing.
