I just heard about this on the news. Thought I'd post it in here to make sure everyone saw this. Completely shocked me.

Five Dead Include Gunman in Ohio Shooting

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A man walked onstage in a crowded nightclub during a rock concert Wednesday night and opened fire, killing at least four people and wounding at least two others before he was shot to death by police, authorities said.

Members of the heavy metal band Damageplan had just begun their first song at the Alrosa Villa when the man opened fire on the band, initially shooting the guitarist, who went by the name "Dimebag Darrell," a witness said. According to the band's Web site, the guitarist and another member, drummer Vinnie Paul, are formerly of the heavy metal band Pantera.

The witness, 22-year-old Chris Couch, said he was standing about 30 feet away from the stage when he noticed a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and hockey jersey walk up to the stage, followed by a bouncer and another club employee.

The man in the jersey climbed onto the stage, started yelling and shot the guitarist five or six times at close range, Couch said. Couch said the gunman also shot a bouncer who pulled him off the musician.

Columbus police spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull said a police officer shot and killed the gunman. It wasn't immediately clear whether the officer was already at the show or had responded to an emergency call. Authorities didn't immediately provide the identities of the victims.

After the shooting began, Couch and a friend headed for the exit along with a tide of hundreds of fans.

"It was definitely a grudge. It was against something," Couch said.

Amanda Stankus, 19, who attended the show with Couch, said she initially thought the shooting was part of the show. "I just saw the guitarist fall down, and we decided to get out of there," she said.

Latest News
Five Dead Include Gunman in Ohio Shooting





Other members of Damageplan include vocalist Patrick Lachman and bass player Bob Zilla, according to the band's Web site.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- At least five people died and two others were wounded after a shooting at a Columbus nightclub on Wednesday night, television station WCMH reported.

The shooting took place shortly after 10 p.m. at Alrosa Villa, located at 5055 Sinclair Rd.

Two members of the heavy metal band Damageplan were reportedly shot and killed, including Dimebag Darrell, formerly with the band Pantera, the station reported. The other band member's name was not released. The alleged gunman also died at the scene, according to police.

Shortly after the band began playing its first song, a man apparently ran onto the stage and began shooting, according to a witness who identified himself as Sean. At first, some members of the audience may have thought the man running onto the stage with a gun was part of the band's act, WCMH reported.

Witnesses said that several shots were fired at the band. A bouncer at the club tackled the alleged gunman before that person was shot and killed, according to witnesses. It was unclear who shot the alleged gunman.

Of the surviving victims, one person was in critical condition while the other was in fair condition, the station reported. Several others were treated at the scene, suffering from various injuries.

Alrosa Villa is a popular north Columbus nightspot for young adults, featuring rock and heavy metal bands.

According to the band's Web site, Damageplan was touring nationally. It performed in Buffalo, N.Y., on Tuesday night and had a concert scheduled in Chicago on Friday.

Damageplan featured former Pantera artists Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. The pair were joined by vocalist Patrick Lachman and bassist Bobzilla, according to their Web site.

I posted this as well in the Heavy Metal forum. Sad, that somebody would kill anybody for no apparent reason. Especially somebody whom has been giving people enjoyment for so many years.

A few updates from various sites.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNN) -- A gunman opened fire Wednesday night during a heavy metal concert in Columbus, killing four people -- including at least one member of the band -- and critically wounding at least two others before a police officer shot and killed him, according to Columbus police.

The attacker leapt onstage as the group, Damageplan, performed, and began "targeting members in the band," Sgt. Brent Mull said.

Two others were injured in the incident, although the nature of their injuries was not clear.

According to eyewitness accounts, the gunman initially shot and killed the band's guitarist, Dimebag Darrell. Darrell, 38, and his brother, Vinnie Paul, 40, are former members of Pantera -- a group they formed in the 1980s. Their father is Jerry Abbott, a country and western songwriter and producer.

Police were notified of the shooting at the Alrosa Villa nightclub on the city's north end around 10:18 p.m. ET, Mull said. A uniformed police officer who was in the area slipped into the venue from a back entrance, confronted the gunman during the rampage and killed him.

"If not for the officer who showed up, there would have been more dead," Mull said.

Police have roped off a huge area of the nightclub's parking lot, as 60 detectives question hundreds of witnesses. Police have brought in buses to keep the witnesses warm as they wait to be questioned.

Calvin Bota said he saw the shooting from the mosh pit right in front of the stage, shortly after the band began playing.

"Somebody came -- I don't know where they came from, out of the audience or whatnot -- but they come onto (the) stage and ... he shot the guitarist at first, fired a couple of other shots and then he hid behind the stage a little bit," Bota told WSYX.

"Everybody started scattering, you know, there's mayhem everywhere. And then a police officer came into the building, you know, came in professional with his gun raised and then he proceeded to shoot the guy."

Gerald Caudill told WSYX the gunman shot the guitarist at least four times.

"I was up close to the stage and I just saw some guy run up on the side of the stage and I heard some shots and I saw (drummer) Vinnie Paul and somebody jumped on top of Vinnie, and the guy just stayed around the stage and started shooting other people," Caudill said.

"I saw wounded people all over the place, out in the parking lot, inside," he said. "It just didn't sound like gunshots or anything, it didn't occur to me that something like that was happening."

CNN Producer Steve Brusk in Columbus contributed to this report.

WCPO-TV Channel 9, the ABC affiliate in Cincinnati, posted another report at http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/12/08/columbus_shooting_ap.html, which includes comments from a law enforcement official and additional first-hand accounts:

Five Dead, Two Injured In Columbus Nightclub Shooting

Reported by: A.P.
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
Photographed by: 9News
12/9/2004 12:23:15 AM

A man opened fire in a crowded nightclub during a rock concert Wednesday night, killing at least four people and wounding at least two others before he was shot to death by police, authorities said.

A man walked on stage during the show at the Alrosa Villa and opened fire on band members, killing four people and wounding at least two others, said Columbus police spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull, adding that more people could have been shot and left the scene before authorities arrived.

Mull said a police officer shot and killed the gunman. It wasn't immediately clear whether the officer was already at the show or had responded to an emergency call.

Columbus resident Chris Couch, 22, said the shooting occurred about 30 seconds after the show's headliner, DAMAGEPLAN, had begun playing.

Couch, who was standing about 30 feet away from the stage, noticed a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and hockey jersey walk up to the stage, followed by a bouncer and another club employee.

The man in the jersey climbed onto the stage, started yelling and shot the guitarist five or six times at close range, Couch said.

Couch said the gunman also shot a bouncer who pulled him off the musician.

At that point, Couch and a friend headed for the exit along with a tide of hundreds of fans.

It appeared the gunman purposely sought out the guitarist, whom Couch identified as a performer who went by the name "Dimebag Darrell."

Authorities didn't immediately provide the identities of the victims.

"It was definitely a grudge. It was against something," Couch said.

Amanda Stankus, 19, who attended the show with Couch, said she initially thought the shooting was part of the show.

"I just saw the guitarist fall down, and we decided to get out of there," said Stankus, of Columbus.

Stankus said she didn't see any metal detectors or uniformed police officers at the venue and that she wasn't searched or frisked on her way in.

I am totally sickened right now, just speechless. Metal lost a true soldier today. What the hell goes through these sick bastards minds?

R.I.P. Dime!

I AM TOTALLY MORTIFIED...DIME was considered ROYALTY here in Arlington, Texas where HE and I both live...I cant EVEN begin to tell you how cool the man was, and how many times we had talked shop at the local Guitar Center...This senseless tragedy was obviously a John Lennon copycat murder, AND FOR F*CKING WHAT..? Its bad enough that our music IS stolen...Must you also steal our LIVES..? Rob Graves

WHAT?!?!?!?! OMG!! I'm speechless! RIP Dime!! :bigcry:

I just read this and couldn't believe it! I actually got to meet Dimebag right before Pantera hit with "Cowboys From Hell". I was living in Arlington at the time and got to party with the band one night. They were all very nice. This is very sad. :(

That is insane :grrr: WTF is wrong with people?

This ia not only insane and a tragedy, but also absof*ckinglutely FRIGHTENING to those of us who go onstage. What, now we have to watch our backs when we perform? Piss someone off and they'll pick you off mid-set?

Dime was so f*cking cool....man, Vinnie must be devastated.

R.I.P. Dime....:(

Updated: 07:36 AM EST
Guitarist Among Five Killed in Ohio Shooting
Gunman Shot Dead by Police Officer
By JAY COHEN, AP

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Dec. 9) - A man charged onstage at a packed heavy metal show and opened fire, killing at least four people including guitarist Darrel Abbott before an arriving officer shot him to death, authorities said.

Columbus police department spokeswoman Sherry Mercurio identified three of the victims of Wednesday's shooting as Abbott, guitarist with the heavy metal rock band Damageplan, and two other men, Nathan Bray and Erin Halk.

Damageplan had just begun their first song at the Alrosa Villa when the man opened fire, first targeting Abbott, shooting him multiple times at point-blank range, a witness said.

Abbott, one of metal's top guitarists, and his brother, Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, were original members of thrash rock pioneers Pantera, one of the most popular metal bands of the early 1990s.

The witness, 22-year-old Chris Couch, said he was standing about 30 feet away from the stage when he noticed a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and hockey jersey walk up to the stage, followed by a bouncer and another club employee.

The man in the jersey climbed onto the stage, started yelling and shot the guitarist five or six times at close range, Couch said. He said the gunman also shot a bouncer who pulled him off the musician.

Columbus police spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull said that after shooting at members of the band, the gunman fired into the crowd. Mull said a police officer who arrived shortly after the shooting began shot and killed the gunman.

''If the officer wasn't as close as he was, I think this would have been a lot worse,'' he said. ''It was a chaotic scene, just a horrific scene.''

Mull said more people could have been shot and left the scene before authorities arrived.

After the shooting began, Couch and a friend headed for the exit along with a tide of hundreds of fans.

''It was definitely a grudge. It was against something,'' Couch said.

Amanda Stankus, 19, who attended the show with Couch, said she initially thought the shooting was part of the show. ''I just saw the guitarist fall down, and we decided to get out of there,'' she said.

Other members of Damageplan include vocalist Patrick Lachman and bass player Bob Zilla, according to the band's Web site.

A message left with Atlantic Records, which oversees the record label on which Damageplan records, was not immediately returned.

Damageplan's Web site said Darrel and Vinnie Abbott grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area where their father Jerry Abbott owned a recording studio. Another entry on the site lists the elder Abbott as a country-western songwriter.

Telephone numbers for both Darrell and Jerry Abbott are unlisted and could not be reached early Thursday by The Associated Press.

Pantera, known for its brutally hard, fast and aggressive sound, recorded four albums between 1990 and 1996. They attracted a massive cult following and the band's third release, ''Far Beyond Driven,'' debuted at No. 1 in 1994, surprising chart-watchers and critics alike.

12-09-04 0729EST

this is madness :no: I can't believe this

:cry: I heard this when I woke up this morning and haven't been able to concentrate on anything. :no: I can't believe he is gone.. I have admired his music for so many years in fact, DamagePlan is one of my favorite bands now :cry: I wish the jerk that shot him was still alive so he could be f**king tortured.. I wonder what killed him.. if he shot himself or hopefully fans mobbed and killed him.
I'm also wondering who the other member of the band was that was killed :cry:

What a horrible tragedy.. I feel for Vinnie and his family. R.I.P Dime

:cry:

Me either :no:

This is horrible news, such a waste. Pagan, I got your back man.

The attacker was shot and killed by a Columbus Police officer.

Sad indeed. I just cranked up the only Pantera song I had on my computer. WALK!

Yeah.. I just read that, Ron.. They were lucky that the police officer was so close! That jackass would have gotten to more people :no:
I'll listen to Pantera and DamagePlan all day today :(

From some of the accounts on Metal Sludge, the guy just jumped on stage and started unloading into Darrell.

I cant imagine what in the world would piss somebody off so much that they would do something like this.

Thankfully, this isnt 1987 and it wont be attributed to "SATANIC DEVIL MUSIC" and will be seen as what it is, an uncomprehensible tragedy.

Makes me not want to go see Queensryche next month. Makes me unsure about club shows. I know the place Ryche are playing has metal detectors and EVERYBODY gets searched, but, I went with a cop, and she had her weapon on her, and it didnt set off the alarms, and wasnt felt when she was searched. Makes me feel VERY unsafe.

That is insane :grrr: WTF is wrong with people?

You said it! Sad and senseless. :no:

I just heard that it was a Pantera fan who was pissed that they broke up and blamed Dimebag and Vinnie for it. This is f*cking pathetic.

:cry: Good grief... WTF

I just heard that it was a Pantera fan who was pissed that they broke up and blamed Dimebag and Vinnie for it. This is f*cking pathetic.


No matter what the real reason is, and unless the guy left a note saying "I'm gonna kill Dimebag Darrell, and this is why" we will never know. Sad day for metal. Sad day.

Just found this video from Channel 10 in Columbus. Channel 10 News Coverage of Shooting (http://www.10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2669547&nav=LUERU0Gd)

Jeez!!! This is sickening! My gf went on a few boards early early this morning to find any news she could, and she saw lots of messages laughing about this! Thats disgusting!

This was the first thing I heard when the alarm went off this morning...such a sick sad waste of human life.

This is very sad. Not only for the fact of Dime but the fact that there are people that troubled lurking around and you never know where they'll pop up next. Stuff like this has happened in Rap all too many times but in Metal????!!!!

When I first heard about this story, the first thing that came to my mind was the xchange's very own Pagan and Taz. To have an individual just jump on the stage and do something like this is very troubling.

R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell

I just found out about this and I really don't know what to say.

I got to meet Pantera and they were extremely cool, down to earth guys.

Yes, some weird things do happen on stage. During a set one night we played at a place called the Brass Mug in Tampa (the metal place to play), our music encited a mosh pit (cool :thumb: ). But what was not cool was when we busted into Motorhead's the Ace of Spades as an encore chairs, yes chairs, started flying and the other singer (we had 2 at the time) and myself were performing and deflecting chairs away from the other band members. Guys were jumping onstage grabbing my mic and trying to belt out chorus' while I was kicking and shoving them back into the crowd.

2 weeks later the stage was remodelled so it was harder for people to get up there.

We recorded that night and dubbed it "Live at Larry's House of Broken Chairs".

Wierd things do happen.


Dimebag will be missed.

Wierd things do happen.
Bro....chairs flying around is weird, seat cushions being torn out and flung around Madison Square Garden at a Judas priest concert is weird, women running onstage and stripping is weird.

Four bullets to the chest goes a little past that realm.....

I just got a message from Rob. He's devastated about it. He use to see him at a music store nearby where he lived and thus feels he knew him.

How tragic and sad!!!!!

May he rest in peace.

The killer is already dead.

The killer is already dead.

Oh, I need to read all about it. All I have is the message from Rob saying he was killed. Maybe it would have helped if I read the first message in this thread. Sorry. I'm so busy, trying to get a money management package out the door.

How horrible!!!!! I will have to read more about it online.

Ok, I just read it. How scarey for everyone on stage and in the audience. I wonder if this is going to make security better at all concerts from now on? That makes me so nervous for my Rob (sighs), Alan, Taz any of the sweetie's we have here on the Xchange going on stage to perform. You guys be careful!!!! Hope you have good security!!!!

How heart wrenching for all of the victims families and friends!!!!!!!

Apparently the gunman went through an unlocked door that got him backstage and from there he went right on stage. Why was that door unlocked? Why can just anyone access that part of the club?
They should always have a security person at a door like that. That way no one can easily get in and if they need that back door to quickly usher a band out the band is helped by that security person.

Thats so f*cked up! Darrel you will be missed :no: I'm glad the cop shot and killed that idiot.

Here's the first released pic of the asshole that killed him. May he rot in pieces.

http://images.ibsys.com/2004/1209/3984911_200X150.jpg

No matter what the real reason is, and unless the guy left a note saying "I'm gonna kill Dimebag Darrell, and this is why" we will never know. Sad day for metal. Sad day.
It's been reported he was screaming "You ruined Pantera" as he rushed the stage. Eventually the story will be told fully sooner or later. They have to sort the whole mess out.

I'm still in shock that this happend. :no: RIP Darrell :rose:

Here's the first released pic of the asshole that killed him. May he rot in pieces.


Seems like all of the really psycho scarey killers are all so normal and submissive looking. Eeck....frightening thinking about it!!!.....

I'm still in shock by this. I may not have been a fan, but I realize its a great loss. Plus I just saw something about the lead singer being from Portland, Or. So it has a local connection here. I feel for all involved in this. :cry:

Well, if he was yelling YOU RUINED PANTERA and shot him, then that is just patheticly tragic.

Besides, he kills Darrell over Pantera breaking up, yet Eddie Van Halen and Axl Rose walk the earth? (not to mention Yoko Ono)

I was shocked when I heard of the carnage this morning!!! How terrible... :eek:

Well, if he was yelling YOU RUINED PANTERA and shot him, then that is just patheticly tragic.

Gee whiz - maybe Pantera is REALLY ruined now, huh? What a bag of shit - I hope this guys parents are hanging their heads in shame.

I hope his parents realise he should have been a handjob.

I can't believe this.I've seen many f*cked up things at shows.I've been through fights,riots,and people setting small fires in one club,but who would have thought something like this could be possible.I'm going next Thurs to see the Exploited at a smal club here in Cleveland,I expect it's going to be a violent show but after this,Hell,now I gotta watch over my shoulder for gun toting psychos?What kind of sense does this make?How many other time bombs are out there just waiting to blow?Do we now have to have airport-like security just to see a band?The worst thing about this is that it's makes no sense in any way shape or form.This could of been any show,in any place.I wish someone could explain to me why this happened and assure me that it will never happen again,but no one can.I love going to shows,I see at least 2 or 3 shows a month,now this will always be in the back of my mind.I guess it's a sicker world than even I thought it was.

Sorry. I have no clue who these people are since I don't listen to that type of music. It's sad this happen though.

As far as Pagan and them being killed for performing. I highly doubt that would happen ;)

I read about this! I've heard of Pantera but didn't really listen to them.

Damn shame anyway.

I also read where they are also saying that he was the only one in the band who was killed "AT THIS TIME" do you think that his brother is also dead ? Not to sound morbid, but they kind of hinted at this on Cnn.com.

RIP DIME BAG..... :rose:

The people of Dallas who are fans of Pantera... are morning a loss of their own....

What a great talent he was....

This is just awful. Mike heard it on the radio and then checked the web to find out for sure. He's devastated as Pantera is his favorite band and he loved Dimebag. He'd always beg me to let him grow his goatee out like his! I listened to them a lot and seen them a few times and even though they weren't my absolute fave, this is pure madness. He will be missed by all.

Very Tragic, very sad. It's just sick that people like that are wondering the streets "free" with that much mental instability. When the break-up of a great band would cause you to murder an ex member I think it's just sick! :grrr:

This is terrible. I'm soooooo Pissed!!!! :no: :dammit: :grrr:

I'm glad they shot that punk ass murding mother Phuk dead! Might not bring Dime back but it sure makes me feel better knowing he don't get to live on.

This is truely sad :( Pantera wasn't my favorite band but I did like some of their songs like "Cowboys from hell". It always saddens me when a popular artist dies in any genre of music but even moreso when it is this tragic and didn't have to happen.

I read about this! I've heard of Pantera but didn't really listen to them.

Damn shame anyway.

I also read where they are also saying that he was the only one in the band who was killed "AT THIS TIME" do you think that his brother is also dead ? Not to sound morbid, but they kind of hinted at this on Cnn.com.

So far from what I have read is that Vinny Paul is ok. This was according to eye witnesses from a report at blabbermouth.com. Im still wondering who the other member was though.

I know the lead singer is ok. They talked to his parents on the local news here.

I'm speechless....

:cry:

The Victims
Contrary to previous reports, it appears the reports that a second member of the band was also killed were false.

KNAC.com posted an update with an official statement from Atlantic Records about the tragedy.

Following the statement KNAC reported the following: The internal message from Atlantic sates the following first:

"As we are sure you all have heard by now, our band Damageplan suffered a horrible tragedy last night at their show in Columbus. Guitarist Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed, as was their head of security, Mayhem (Jeff Thompson), and two fans. Chris Paluska from the band's management company is in critical but stable condition, and the band's drum tech, Cat (John Brooks), is expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow. - Click Here for the Full Story
Dimebag
Houston Chronicle reports: An unlikely assortment of retired neighbors and young fans gathered Thursday outside the home of Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott, leaving flowers, a Confederate flag and a poster declaring him "the people's rock star."

The 38-year-old guitarist, who was fatally shot during a performance Wednesday night in Columbus, Ohio, was remembered in this semi-rural enclave as an approachable star who never strayed far from his roots in blue-collar Arlington. - Click Here for the Full Story

London Free Press reports: [Dimebag's] death shook the heavy-metal music industry and fans flooded websites to share their grief.

"It's going to be hard for people outside the metal world to understand, but this is as important as losing a president," said Mark Hunter, lead singer of the metal band Chimaira.

Abbott "changed the way metal music was written with his guitar playing. I don't know anybody in a band who hasn't stolen a few guitar riffs from him," he said.

A fan posting on the band's website read, "This is the worst day in metal history."

… "When you think of '90s heavy metal or hard rock, Pantera is one of these seminal bands. They are quoted today as influences by many bands," said Tom Calderone, MTV's executive vice-president. "Hard rock has lost a legendary guitar player."

Pantera was nominated for Grammies for best metal performance in 1995 for I'm Broken and in 2001 for Revolution Is My Name. The video The Best of Pantera: Far Beyond the Great Southern Cowboys' Vulgar Hits hit the top 10 for music-video sales earlier this year; another video, 3-Watch It Go, went top-10 in 1998. - Click Here for the Full Story
The gunman
The shooter's name is Nathan Gale, 25, of Marysville, Ohio.

Rolling Stone reports: Gale was an employee for a temp agency who was on medication for mental-health issues. Brandy Brown, the bartender at a local bar Gale frequented described him as "a hermit kind of guy. I think he lived with his mom." Lucas Bender -- the owner of Bear's Den Tattoo Studio, which Gale frequented constantly in past weeks -- said of the young man, "He kind of gave everyone a weird impression -- you know how some people just seem disturbed? . . . After he would leave, my friends and I would all talk and say, 'Gosh, what's wrong with that guy?" Gale was discharged from the Marines in November 2003 after less than two of the typical four years of service. - Click Here for the Full Story

Blabbermouth reports: The gunman who fatally shot four people — including DAMAGEPLAN (and former PANTERA) guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott — at Columbus, Ohio's Alrosa Villa nightclub Wednesday night alarmed the club's workers before the gig, according to RollingStone.com. "He was hanging around trying to get in," manager Rick Cantella said. "We told him . . . that he had to pay to get in like anyone else. One of my loaders told him to leave . . . He was hanging around trying to talk to the members of the band, and he was shooed away." Just before the show, Nathan Gale, 25, jumped an eight-foot fence to get inside, and headed straight for the stage. "There were guys chasing him as soon as he got in," explained Cantella, "not because [they saw] he had a gun, but because he jumped this fence and didn't pay." - Click Here for the Full Story

Houston Chronicle reports: Police are looking into reports that the gunman was upset about the breakup of the influential group Pantera, which Abbott formed in 1983 with his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who was on stage but not injured in the rampage.

Police identified the gunman as Nathan Gale, 25, who listened to Pantera music to psyche himself up before football games.

"We may never know a motive for this, unless he left a note," Sgt. Brent Mull said. - Click Here for the Full Story

NBC4i.com reports: He served in the United States Marine Corps from February 2002 through November 2003, but did not serve his full term, Hollingsworth reported. The USMC would not give the circumstances of his discharge, Hollingsworth reported.

While some in the community said Gale had a quick temper, others said he was a good-natured person. - Click Here for the Full Story

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Columbus police are trying to determine whether Nathan Gale, a 25-year-old semipro football player accused of killing DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, was incensed because of last year's breakup of Mr. Abbott's previous band, PANTERA, one of the top metal acts of the 1990s.

"He loved PANTERA. He was like weird, man, about his obsession with PANTERA," said Mike Norris, who frequents a tattoo parlor across the street from Mr. Gale's home in Marysville, a town about 25 miles from Columbus. "I knew the guy was out to lunch, but I can't believe this." - Click Here for the Full Story

New York Times reports: It was also unclear whether anything more than coincidence was at play in the timing of the shooting. Mr. Abbott, a well-known figure in the national heavy-metal scene, was killed exactly 24 years to the night after the shooting of John Lennon on the Upper West Side of New York.
The police said they were chasing down tips that Mr. Gale had been acquainted with at least some of the band's members.

"Without a note, it's possible that we'll never know why he did it," said Sgt. Brent Mull, a spokesman for the Columbus police. - Click Here for the Full Story
The police officer that killed the gunman
Music.tinfoil.net reports: The officer who shot and killed Nathan Gale is James D. Niggemeyer. He was on patrol near the club when the 911 calls came in. He entered the club and shot Gale during an apparent hostage situation. Police have apparently obtained a video tape recorded by an audience member and are examining it now. - Click Here for the Full Story

CNN posted a transcript of a press conference by Sgt Brent Mull, Columbia, Ohio Police Department. Below are excerpt of his statement. (see the full story link for the full transcript, including press Q&A)

He is a five-year veteran. He's assigned to this district on late watch. He entered through the rear of the facility. He was motioned to come in by someone inside and told that there was an active shooter inside.

The officer was able to identify that active shooter obviously immediately. The officer was forced to engage in gunfire with this suspect. From what we understand, he did have a hostage.

The officer was able to strategically gun this guy down before he was able to kill his hostage. And it appeared that he was about to kill his hostage when the officer basically put an end to it. - Click Here for the Full Story
Tributes to Dimebag
We have set up a special tribute page where some of our writers remember Dimebag and what he meant to them, as well as some comments from Dimebag's friends and fellow musicians. There is also a Fan Speak section where you can post your own tribute.

Here is the first tribute from antiMUSIC's DeadSun followed by tributes from Ozzy and Lars Ulrich.

Thank You, Dimebag Darrell. Thank You So Much.
... by DeadSun

Many people believe that Rock and Roll will never die, and with good reason. Rock and Roll, as a musical genre, is well into its fifth decade, and no significant indicators exist that Rock and her offspring are losing any potency whatsoever.

If as much can be said of Rock and Roll, the same can be said of Rock and Roll’s rowdiest, most rambunctious child--- heavy metal.

Heavy metal will never fade and go away. It cannot be stopped.

… yet this past Wednesday, heavy metal lost one of its favorite sons.

On December 8th, 2004--- shortly after 10:00 pm--- Darrell Lance Abbott was one of five who were murdered in cold bold, at a Damageplan show in Columbus, Ohio. Heavy metal, its musicians, and its fans, lost one of its most dedicated peers on that night, and lost him as he was on stage, engaged in the righteous act of showing a crowd of people a fun night out. When news of the incident reached me via radio broadcast, I sat there numbed, blank, and with a jaw dropped like a fish out of water.

As a “twenty-something”, who’s high school years occurred between 1990-1994, I rationalize the death of Dimebag Darrell as if part of my own past has been fired upon. Pantera’s music--- particularly “Cowboys From Hell”, “Vulgar Display of Power”, and “Far Beyond Driven”--- furnishes me with so many fond memories; the people, the parties, the hell-riding. It lives in my mind--- engrained--- as one of the many soundtracks of my chaotic but certainly enjoyable teen years.

For so many of us who were in our teens at the time, the music of Pantera helped to keep the flame of metal roaring throughout the nineties, at least among a broad audience, as grunge moved in as the “hard rock of choice” among younger Rock fans. To the extent that it did, it was rather like what Metallica did for thirty-somethings in the eighties, as hair metal rose to curry favor with mainstream hard Rock fans and record execs alike. Pantera’s music was hard, driven, and rife with that unmistakably furious energy that metalheads celebrate--- and at the forefront of that sonic blitzkrieg was the hard-charging guitar fire that Dimebag laid down for the group.

I’m not here to tell you that you have to like Pantera. I’m not here to argue that metal was lost without them, which it certainly wasn’t. I AM here to tell you that Dimebag and company made enjoyable, crushingly heavy music that reached out to millions. For a percentage of those millions, Pantera served as the musical catalyst upon which many were set upon the path of heavy metal. From my observation post, Pantera helped to draw people into the ranks of heavy metal, and as a result discovered metal acts which they otherwise might have been ignorant of.

In the grand scheme of things, that’s an important contribution to make to a sound and a style that so many of us love--- and nobody can take that away from Dimebag Darrell--- not with all the bullets in the world.

Nobody.

I know that so many of us want to pay our respects, albeit in our own small way. I guess this is my way of paying mine.

Thank you so much, Darrell Lance Abbott.

Thank you for picking up the guitar.

Thank you for the years of contribution.

Thank you for your dedication to the music we love.

… I am not alone.

God speed, Darrell Lance Abbott (1966-2004).

Ozzy Osbourne

Dimebag was a dear friend of mine. I’m absolutely beside myself with grief. I can’t for the life of me understand why someone would do this.

Pantera toured with me many many times. I’ll always remember the signed guitar that he gave me at my 50th birthday party.

My heart goes out to Dime’s family, his fans and the other innocent victims who were killed in this senseless tragedy. It’s just terribly sad.
- Ozzy

Source

Lars Ulrich (Metallica)

This is unbelievable. To sit here and talk about Darrell in the past tense seems so wrong, so unfair, so unjust, I don't even know what to say. My heart goes out to Vinnie, to their families, to the other band members, and to the families and friends of the other people that were killed or injured, in this ****ing senseless act of selfishness and stupidity.

… There's a tendency in these ****ed up moments to use the word 'I' a lot and focus on one's own feelings of pity and shock... so instead let it just be known that thru these eyes Darrell was incredibly warm, open, fun, nutty, forthcoming, talented, embracing, unpretentious, accommodating and he always had a very attractive innocence about him that obviously made him never threatening and always welcoming.

"Darrell and his brother were the cornerstone of musical adventures that were always groundbreaking, pushing boundaries, challenging to themselves and to their fans, respected by their peers and always true musicians' musicians, and today the rock world is worse off because of this untimely and senseless waste.

This may be the motive....

from blabbermouth.net:
_____________________

People who had known the 25-year-old Gale in his hometown of Marysville described him yesterday as an unstable man who once asserted that the Abbott brothers' former band, PANTERA, had stolen his song lyrics.

The other fatality in the Damageplan camp was a member of the road crew, Jeff "Mayhem" Thompson.

I just saw a report on the news that said the shooter was VERY distraught over the fact that Pantera broke up. And had went so far as to send hatemail to Dimebag because of it.

Unfortunatley, we will probably never know the true motive. :( He sounds like he was pretty unstable. I just wished it had been the fans who beat him up to death rather then the quick demise by a bullet. He should have suffered. I hope he burns at the gates of Hell.

Apparently, this guy was a football player on a semi-pro team (whatever that means) and used Pantera's music to psyche himself up before games. Furthermore, he supposedly was yelling "you ruined my life" as he ran towards the stage. And witnesses say that Dimebag was playing right up until the moment he was shot. As sorry and useless as this was, at the very least he was doing what he loved best when his life was cut short.

In a bit of an ironic twist, yesterday was the 24th anniversary of the shooting of John Lennnon. Gale was 24.

You know its weird...The last time I saw him at Guitar Center (Arlington), we didnt even speak, we just nodded at each other from across the room...I guess I just always assumed that I would see him there from time to time...Little did I know...

I'm still in shock about this whole thing...

R.I.P. Darrell :cry: May you hit that everlasting sustained chord of happiness in your final destination... we WILL miss you.

To Vinnie... we feel your pain and we give you our sincerest condolences to you and your family... it's so unfair and unjust. :( Keep rockin' Bro.

Bro....chairs flying around is weird, seat cushions being torn out and flung around Madison Square Garden at a Judas priest concert is weird, women running onstage and stripping is weird.

Four bullets to the chest goes a little past that realm.....

no no you misunderstood my point, 4 bullets is wrong, not wierd. I was just commenting on someone saying wierd things happen at shows is all.

I still can't believe this crap.

Uranium (Fuse metal show) had a tribute to him on the other night that I snagged by luck with my DVR that I just got. Once I figure out how to dump that to my hard drive I'd be happy to make dvd copies for anyone who wants one, we can just swap the copy for a blank dvd. I'll be working on that the week of Christmas.

Sorry for the misunderstanding Bro....one of the reasons I HATE written words when trying to communicate feelings!

Sorry for the misunderstanding Bro....one of the reasons I HATE written words when trying to communicate feelings!

I sometimes forget to "reply" instead of "post reply", that would clear some up, I must post better :D