Southern California Cook’s Corner Mass Shooting
Retired Ventura Police Department sergeant John Snowling, 59, traveled from Ohio to Southern California. According to the Orange Sheriff's Department, he had an ongoing divorce proceeding with his estranged wife.
Court records show they began the process in December 2022. Their next hearing was scheduled for December 2023. When he arrived in Southern California, the former police officer drove to Trabuco Canyon to confront his wife.
She was having dinner with a friend at Cook's Corner, enjoying the historic biker bar's spaghetti night special. He went directly to his wife, who was in the interior portion of the bar, and shot her. Deputies said the two did not argue before the gunman opened fire. He then pointed the gun at Tonya Clark, the woman she was dining with, and shot her. Clark managed to run outside the bar, where she died.
Snowling then started shooting randomly at the other patrons. According to Barnes, the Orange County Sheriff's Department received the first 911 calls of the shooting shortly after the ex-cop opened fire. As deputies rushed up the canyon roads leading to Cook's Corner, the shooter worked his way to the outdoor picnic area. After shooting at patrons outside of the bar, the retired sergeant walked back to his car to retrieve a shotgun and a third handgun.
On his way through the upper parking lot, Snowling shot at more victims. When he retrieved his additional firearms a man tried to stop the gunman but was shot doing so, ultimately dying.
Deputies arrived at Cook's Corner within two minutes of the first 911 calls. The deputies split up to search for the gunman, unaware he was retrieving additional firearms from his truck in the upper parking lot. A team quickly found Snowling at his truck. The suspect began to fire multiple rounds at our deputies from a shotgun. Despite a round going through one of the deputy's windshields, the team continued advancing toward the suspect while returning fire, ultimately killing the shooter.
After securing the scene, police and medics from the Orange County Fire Department treated the wounds of the victims. The last patient left 46 minutes after the first firefighters arrived. Marie Snowling, the estranged wife of the shooter, was recovering from critical condition — regaining consciousness and the ability to speak, according to the sheriff's department.
NORTH’s Security Operations Center Timeline
1904 hours - Snowling enters Cook’s Corner and shoots his estranged wife
1905 hours - Snowling begins shooting at multiple people inside the bar.
1906 hours - Deputies arrive on scene and begin searching for the shooter
1910 hours - NORTH SOC is notified and sends alerts to multiple clients in the area
1911 hours - Deputies fatally shoot Snowling ending the threat
1945 hours - The last patient is sent to the hospital.
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