"I called them the fraternal twins, even though they were born three years apart," their mother, Laura Lynn Meek, told CNN.Their passions led the siblings to Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks, also home to what became their favorite dance hall, The Borderline Bar and Grill.They loved Borderline college night, when a couple hundred young adults and teenagers from surrounding schools left behind their laptops and books and line-danced with friends and strangers.On November 7, 2018, Justin was working as a promoter for the club and Victoria Rose joked that included running the beer pong games."I was hanging out with my brother when one of my favorite songs came on, one of my favorite line dances, 'Askin' Questions,'" said Victoria Rose, who is now a 21-year-old college senior.She ran off to strut and as the song wound down, the gunshots began."I was turning and then I heard pop, pop, and there was a pause, and it all happened so fast and it was chaos," Victoria Rose said."And I was just ducking and running to the back door. And I tripped and fell."She recalls a stranger helped lift her up and pushed her away from the massacre.Later, Victoria Rose left a voice message on Justin's phone but saw no sign of her hulking brother outside."I just felt it in my gut," she said, before pausing and crying. "I knew after that Justin didn't make it."
Authorities said Ian David Long fired 50 rounds, killing 12 people including Justin Meek and Ventura County Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus.Long, a 28-year-old United States Marine Corps veteran, then fatally shot himself.No definite motive has surfaced.Justin was 23.Thursday, a "healing garden" honoring Meek and the other 11 victims is set to be dedicated in a Thousand Oaks park a few miles away from the bar.The memorial features 12 stone slab benches and water jets, one for each victim. The fountains form a circle around a pond, and the heads of turtles can be seen poking out above the shimmering water."I think the water is very significant for us because Justin grew up on the water," his mother said. "He was more comfortable on water than he was on land."
Justin's parents and sister listed the water connections: swimmer, water polo player, lifeguard. His next goal was to become become a Coast Guard officer, and eventually a US marshal."I've heard people ask him, 'What do you want to do when you grow up?'" said their father, Roger Meek, a retired Navy SEAL. "'I want toRead More – Source
