Sergeant slain in bar shooting "died a hero," sheriff says

A sheriff said a sergeant who was killed when a gunman fatally shot 12 people inside a crowded Southern California bar "died a hero." Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran, was among the first officers to respond to the scene and was shot after he entered the building.Helus, who died at a hospital early Thursday, is said to be survived by his wife and son. Authorities said he was about a year from retirement."Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's