Tamera Mowry-Housley's niece dies while filming Thousand Oaks

Thousand Oaks' tragic Wednesday night shootings hit near home Tamera Mowry-Housley.

After spending Thursday looking for her niece, Alaina Housley, the actress confirmed in a joint statement with her husband Adam Housley that the freshman had been killed.

"Our heart is broken.We have just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of the shooting that took place last night at the Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks," said the couple in a statement to E! News Thursday afternoon. "Alaina was an amazing young woman with so much life in front of her and we are upset if her life has been cut short in this way, we thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time."

A few hours earlier, the Sister sister alum contacted Ashley, Alaina's colleague on Twitter. "My suitcase mate is still missing, wearing denim shorts, a blue flannel and sneakers, thank you for telling me if you know anything," Ashley tweeted.

"Ashely, it's his Aunt Tamera Mowry Housley, can you give me your information, DM?" Tamera replied.

"Is she the only one missing?" Tamara asked. "Yes, all the other girls are safe," Ashley replied.

Los Angeles Times journalist Andrea Castillo wrote on Twitter that she saw Adam arrive at the Los Robles Regional Medical Center in search of Alaina. "A guard did not let him go, claiming he was locked out." He said that Alaina, a Pepperdine rookie, was at the bar with several friends. his iPhone still indicated his location on the dance floor, "said Castillo. According to Castillo's tweet, Housley explained that his niece's companions had jumped through a broken window to escape and that they were currently in the hospital with injuries to the glass.

"While they were running out of the bar, someone shouted" Hey! " [sic] on the ground! They told Housley that they thought it was the shooter. "

Earlier Thursday, Housley urged anyone on his Twitter page to pray. "Please pray if you believe … pray," he writes. When someone asked "for what," the former Fox News correspondent replied, "My niece, a beautiful soul."

It had already been reported that 12 people were shot dead Wednesday night at the Borderline Bar and Grill bar in Thousand Oaks, California, where an online dance party was held for students. The gunman, also found dead in the bar, was identified as Ian David Long, 28 years old.