Austin Eis receives 85 years for attack on Thousand Oaks high school students

Austin Allen Eis, a Camarillo man, was sentenced to 85 years to life in prison for a violent crime spree in April 2023 that included stabbing a Walmart employee and intentionally crashing his car into a group of Westlake High School students, killing 15-year-old Wesley Welling and injuring several others. Eis admitted to targeting the students out of personal frustration and a desire to commit mass violence, with prosecutors revealing evidence of his long-standing violent and extremist ideation. He pleaded guilty to ten felony charges, including murder, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon, thus avoiding a lengthy trial and allowing the victims' families to begin the process of healing. During the sentencing, emotional statements from victims' families underscored the enduring pain and trauma caused by Eis's actions. Despite the plea deal, Welling's family emphasized that no sentence could bring back their son or fully deliver justice. Eis will be eligible for parole after serving 24 years, but the community remains deeply affected by the tragedy.