Posted on 12/08/2004 11:35:36 PM PST by Columbus Dawg
COLUMBUS, Ohio — 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 (search) had just begun their first song at the Alrosa Villa (search) 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 (search).
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Here is a post from the message board at http://www.damageplan.com from someone claiming to be a the show tonight. The person just signed up at that message board tonight.
From: 1damage1 1:28 am
To: ALL (1 of 43)
holy crap, i was at the show!!!!
all i can say is holy crap!! that was such a freakin' nightmare... i don't ever want to be a part of anything like that again... i'm still shaking.... i don't even know what to say...
i was up close to the stage on the side where DBD was playing.... then i saw the guy jump out of the crwod onto the stage... he was yelling something about how "you broke up pantera.... you ruined my life.... what about phil??? he needs heroin money..." or something like that then i saw the gun and he shot DBD right in the head... when DBD went down he kept shooting... then he turned around for bobzilla then vinnie... teh hole time i thought it was part of the show... i had blood on me i was so close... i'm still freakin' out here...
after he turned around and kept shooting i was gone... i swear i almost crapped my pants... it was ####' crazy as ####... people were totally messed up outside... i was standing next to this one chick and she was crying and couldn't stop... she fell on the ground and it was like she was possesed or something... dude it was so kayotic its not even funny... the cops showed up and then people started sayin' that DBD was killed... then people started freaking out even more...
i can't belive this happend... its so crazy... its totally unreal and there's no way to describe how messed up i am right now...
i had tickets to the show in flint michigan too... i don't know whats going to happen... theres some blood on my ticket stub so i'm going to sell it on ebay or keep it or something... i know DBD is in heaven (or ripping some mad riffs in hell)
#### what a wild #### nigth... dude i won't even be able to sleep tonight
AFTER GETTING FLAMED FOR THE EBAY COMMENT THE PERSON POSTED THE FOLLOWING.
From: 1damage1 1:43 am
To: jeremx (6 of 50)
6249.6 in reply to 6249.4
dude... i didn't even know i wrote that... i'm so #### up right now... i can't even think straight... i keep thinking that i could have been shot so easily... it was so crzay... ####... i just want to go to sleep but i just keep seeing it over and over agian in my head
i'm not going to sell my ticket stub i'm just going to burn it i just want to get all this #### out of my head... i'm going to smoke a full bowl tonight... ####
I REPORT, YOU DECIDE.