Dimebag Darrell Abbott Dead in Damageplan Shootout
At Least 5 Dead, 2 Wounded In Nightclub Shooting (nbc4i.com)
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.
*** 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’ve never heard of Damageplan, although I vaguely remember Pantera. The Damageplan Official Fan Website and the Official Damageplan Website are both being overwhelmed, although I was able to find the above picture of the unfortunate Mr. Dimebag.
Update: As I suspected, Michele Catalano was an afficionado of Pantera and has more on the story.
Dimebag, formerly known as Diamond (back in the Pantera glam days), whose real name was Darrell Abbott, was the brother of Damageplan/Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul and the son of country singer Jerry Abbott.
It’s a bizarre kind of story. Not only did the gunman intentionally single out and kill Darrell, but he shot blindly into the audience, killing three people. The gunman himself was killed, so we’ll probably never know what made this guy freak out.
*** According to the Damageplan message boards, a bassist from the opening band tried to shield Darrell and was shot. Also, they are reporting that another member of Damageplan, Pat Lachman, has died and one of the other victims was a security guard.
Bizarre and tragic.
Update (12-11): Concert Killer Described as Obsessed
The man who fatally shot former Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott and three other men at a nightclub was obsessed with the heavy-metal band and made bizarre accusations against the group, a one-time friend said.
Nathan Gale apparently believed Pantera musicians were trying to steal his identity and the lyrics to songs he had written, former friend Jeramie Brey told the Columbus Dispatch in Friday’s editions.
Gale, 25, charged the stage Wednesday at a show by Abbott’s new band, Damageplan, and gunned down four people, including Abbott, before a police officer shot Gale to death. Two others were wounded.
Investigators said they may never know Gale’s motive. Some witnesses said he yelled accusations that Abbott broke up Pantera, but police had not verified those reports.
Brey and former friend Dave Johnson said they had become frightened by Gale’s behavior and distanced themselves several years ago. By that time, Johnson said, Gale had begun talking and laughing to himself and once appeared to be holding an imaginary dog.
“He used to be Pantera’s number one fan and has liked them for as long as I’ve known him,” Johnson told the newspaper. “After a while something happened. He just kind of snapped. He went from being a cool guy to being a guy you didn’t want to be around.”
Brey recalled that Gale once showed up at his house with some songs he had written, but the words appeared to be copied from Pantera. Gale told Brey he planned to sue Pantera over the lyrics and for stealing his identity.
Gale had had minor run-ins with police but wasn’t considered a troublemaker, authorities said.
He served with the Marines in North Carolina until November 2003, when he was discharged after less than half of the typical four-year stint, said Gunnery Sgt. Kristine Scarber, a Marine spokeswoman. She declined to explain the discharge, citing privacy rules.
Gale’s mother, Mary Clark, did not return phone messages seeking comment.
The violence at the Alrosa Villa club came just after the opening chords by Damageplan, the band formed by Abbott and his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, after they left Pantera. Gale jumped on the stage, grabbed Darrell Abbott and shot him at least five times in the head, witnesses and police said. In less than five minutes, Gale also killed Erin Halk, 29, a club employee who loaded band equipment; fan Nathan Bray, 23; and band bodyguard Jeff Thompson, 40.
Incredibly odd.
I thought the name was familiar so I checked IMDb. He’s got a few credits there. Oddly enough, none of them would explain why I might have heard of him.
I agree it’s the person not the gun who kills, but if this moron had no gun available it would’ve been much more difficult to do this, would it not?
I am so shocked that the life of another talented artist has been ended by yet another gun wielding fanatic, its such a sad loss the guitarist world will never seem the same again.
R.I.P Dimebag x
am so shocked dimebag was dead, i just learned that last nite from las vegas news, R.I.P dimebag, i was a pantera fan. peace ya all people.
Jesus Christ–WTF is wrong with this godamn world??? You don’t kill, especially when your victim has brought so much enjoyment to the world. Dime-I met you backstage in Boise a few years back, you were one of the nicest, most sincere people i’ve ever had the priviledge of knowing. You’ll be missed–
It’s 420 all day long brother-this buds for you!
Thanks for devoting your life to your fans, and i wish your family and friends the best as they try to come to terms with some idiot’s actions.
I just don’t understand…this guy just killed my HERO!!! and it will never be answered why… I mean this is the one and only guitarist whom i based my guitar playing after…and now I will never hear another thing from again…and I will prolly be kinda frightened the next time that I go onstage…this just can not be real!
i am so sad. the world has suffered a loss. we were blessed to be exposed to a talent like darrell.
dimebag u will always live on in your music and the legacy u left to all guitarists everywhere
we love u!!
Dime is absolutely irreplacable and the guy who killed him should burn in hell forever!!!RIP Darrell,you were the best and will remain a legend.
OMFG, What the hell is going on in the world today where a harmless band has to start taking measures so they are not shot on stage…. I can’t F*@king beieve this, i am speachless yet feel like part of me now is dead. I have studied and followed Pantera and Dimebag from the start and find myself now holding a guitar and not wanting to play. I just hope i’m never shot at or anything like this when my band is playing gigs. At this point i guess all i can say is R.I.P Dimebag you will be greatly missed not only as a person but as a great musician and shredding guitar player… Much love bro…. 420
I have been expecting something like this to happen for a long time. We are devestated down in Texas. Down here you can’t SMOKE cigarettes in public anymore but you can CARRY a fucking hand gun. Now who thinks this is a good idea? God Bless Dime and Vinnie and their families and everyone pray for them. Lightninboy
so it’s happened again we’ve lost another great legend. we won’t be able to hear anymore killer riffs from ol’diamond I hope phil,vinne,and rex can put ther diffrences aside to mourn this loss.
A forty,blunt and a black tooth grin,is on my list for tonites dinner and probley for a long time.This grins for you and everyone who lost ther lives we’ll miss you all
There is only “THREE” words to describe this tragedy STUPID,DUMB and POINTLESS. My prayers and thoughts go out to all of the victims families that have been touched by this senseless act.Thank You “Dimebag” for allowing us the world to hear some of the greatest music ever produced by one great artist.R.I.P Brother.
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS REAL! IT’S LIKE WAKING UP FROM A NIGHTMARE. WHAT A POINTLESS WASTE OF A WONDERFUL ARTIST AND PERSON. I AM A DRUMMER MYSELF SO MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ALSO GO OUT TO VINNIE. I AM SO SADDENED BY THE LOSS OF LIVES, AND I WAS ALWAYS HOPING FOR A PANTERA REUNION BUT NOW THAT DOESNT SEEM REMOTELY POSSIBLE. WHY?????????
I am hurting really bad over this. On stage??? my brain cannot rap around this crap. Dimebag I hope your relaxing someplace and still producing killer riffs and knowing we all loved your music and it has been and always will be a inspiration to musicians all around the world. R.I.P Darrell.
“Floods” will be playing in my mind for a long time to come.
Yeah what happend pretty much just sucked we all love “dimebag” down here in Texas and now we will never ever get to hear anything from him again.
I just wanna say that as a fellow guitarist, i will be mourning this loss for a long damn time. this is rediculous. why does this happen to the worlds greatest people? it doesnt make sense how a person can get into a venue witha gun with all these laws we have now. i guess in NY its a lil different but still. rest in peace Dimebag. every one will miss you. I raise this beer to you and cheer you on in what ever place you have gone on to. we all love you man. CFH motherf*ck*r
i cant believe this has happened… i mean dime bag ws the reason i picked up a guitar in the first place… im not from texas but i loved him jsut as much as an texan… i loved there music (pantera’s that is…) and jsut every thing about them.. now we will never hear dimbags heavy rifts ever again.. this is a very sad day in music history…. more or less, history period… all day.. and for the past 2 days “this love” and “walk” have been constantly stuck in my head…. this is jsut a horrible day….. R I P Dimebag… you will be dearly missed…..
Why??? I dont fucking get it… Thanks for the memories Darrell, Thanks for the parties, Thanks for the outrageous shows, and most of all THANKS FOR THE SHREDDING…
MAY YOU ROT IN HELL “””Nathan Gale”””
Rock On Vinnie, my paryers are with ya brother!!
dimebag was my hero i will miss you you still the best
I don’t understand the events that take place in this world especially those as tragic as this. Dimebag you will forever be my friend. We will meet again someday on the other side. I’m sure of that! Don’t let Satan shit on you too bad, buddy. If he does, Zombie will deal with him when he arrives. METALHEADS ARE FUCKED IN THE HEAD!!! FUCKIN SHIT FOR BRAINS!!! 420 my ass, yeah! Loser Pricks. Get a Life!!!
I have been so upset since I heard this news. I cant believe that someone so stupid could take the life of someone so IMPORTANT. My prayers and thoughts and love is with all the members of the band and the fans who have had to deal with this. My love is with all!!
THAT FUCKIN IDIOT!I CANT BELIEVE THAT FUCKER KILLED DIME AND HIS BRO!Man that sucks,may all those people R.I.P and dime went out the way a true metal guitarist would,lastly doing what he loved best,and same for his brother,and the fans…well they died seeing who they admired most.May everyone (except the gunman) involved in that incident rest in peace.
Dimebag was a funcking exelent guitarist and it sucks that he had to get shot by that mother fucker. But i dont feel sorry for that stupid ass mother fuckin Nathan Gale….. He got shot in the fuckin face by a rifle!!!!! Anyways i send best wishes to anyone related to Dime, as well as anybody else that was involved in this tradgedy…. God Bless Dimeback Darrell……..
And God Bless all the other inicent people….. Gale can just go to HELL!!!! That mother fucking asshole
I’m still in disbelief over this!! I have been just awestruck at such an atrocity, WHY?, WHY?, WHY!!!! I’m lost for words, he was my favorite, funniest and coolest guitarist I’ve ever known. One thing I can say about how good he was, he never went weak on guitar, kept producing new sounds, never would have been a sell out, and as much money dimebag had, he could of been kicking back-enjoying himself-but he was out there doing what he loved and did best-JAMMING-and not that I wanted it this way -but he went out that way w/guitar in hand!! His music will live forever.
Darrell, DAMN BUDDY! WTF was this dickhead thinkin…? It sux to know I will NEVER be able to serve you another Blacktooth cuz of some fucktards ridiculous, FUCKED UP mind… My prayers are with you and the others, Vinnie, and everyone in your family that I have met…LOVE AND MISS YS BRO. RIP….
I went to high school w/ Darrell and I can only tell you that he was a legend and the same fun loving person then as he was as a star. I remember the band showing off their album to classmates & Darrell telling a history teacher not to worry about him, he was going to be a rock star! RIP DD.
this mutha fucker took away one of the best guitar players in the world for some punk ass reason, I am so sad about this I’ve been listening to pantera for about 12 years and I can’t grasp the fact that he is gone, RIP darrell lance abbott you will always be remembered and never forgotten, to the man who shot him I hope you burn in hell for all eternity.
Well, the right to bear arms has once again terminated an incredible talent. Darrell Abott is, and always will be missed. My prayers are with the friends and family of the injured and murdered. Remember, guns don’t kill people..people kill people. Guns just make it a hell of a lot easier. Rest in peace Darrell.
My deepest condolences to Vinnie and the Abbots,and the families of those who perished in the unfortunate incident. Dime was an exceptional talent and would be dearly missed.
i think its crap that some one would sit there and shoot a guy that has done nothing to this man and shoot 5 other people killing 3 of them and 2 hospitalized well thats all i have to say
i think its fucking bull shit and i think that nathan gale can rot in hell and suffer and let him get hot in the fuckin head 5 mother fuckin times he diserves is *rest in piece* ~dimebag~ *rot in hell*~Gale~
I think this place will always have quacks and nobody will ever be safe. Bar-non!! no matter how important you are you are not safe no matter what measures you take. dime, I follow you, cherish you and respect you. Imagine what he saw that night. Just starting the first song of the set, doing somthing he loved, seeing a ( what he thought was a crazed fan that wanted to be on stage with him) grab him and pull a gun and the begining of the sound of the blast…….sad, god this world it sick.I can”t imagane what that felt like. you give to the world and what do you get in return? R.I.P dime….you will be missed as I play your riffs
What a fucking joke!!!The arsehole that did this must be soaking up in the piles of shit in hell right now!!!Hope you fucking choke!!!
RIP dimebag your a legend mate and mean a hell of alot to all of us here in the UK!!We will never forget you,my prayers go to Vinnie!!love you both !Tone
As a fellow guitarist myself, hearing the news of Darrell’s passing I was in tears when I heard what happened. I literally broke down after seeing his memorial page. I’ve listened to Pantera on and off for as long as I can remember. I did a Tribute track to him on my soundclick music webpage, and left it in the Blues section, for this truely is a blues moment for many of us. I send my deepest salutations to his family, fellow band members, fans and everyone else who I missed.
Here is my Tribute to him:
-Respectfully,
Timothy S. Epperhart
Dime bag was and is a fucking legend and one of the best metal guitarists of my generation. A sad loss for music. all because of some fucking prick with a gun.
so every damn good people must die anyway.but i must have to say that his riffs,solos and compositions were fucking great.he did so very much with his guitar but that freak just shot him with his gun ,fucking fool.
he is the best anyway and all great artists also respect him,did you heard that fucking world
RIP[love you man]
This is truly a sad moment for heavy metal. Dime and the rest of PanterA have many fans in the Philippines. He will surely be missed. Rest in Peace Dime…
I still not over the fact that someone fucker Killed Dimebag. This is horrible. How can you kill someone so influential to the arts? What kind of bastard would do this…Oh…Gale could. Fuckin bastard. He was not worthy…I hope he is rotting in hell right now. No…I wish he were still alive so that I may beat him until he could no longer stand and piss on his wounds. Dimebag…You are loved.
I also went to school with Darrell from elementary to high school. He has always been such a great guy. He will be missed deeply. My prayers go out for Vince and the rest of the Abbott family. Darrell will always be remembered in my mind and heart.
LONG LIVE DIMEBAG!!!!
This has brought me great sorrow, i have now been unable to stop listening to “Hollow” by Pantera and cry about Dime. Its all the fucking stupid moms fault for buying the freak psycho a gun, i wish the cops wouldn’t have killed him, i have so much hatred towards him, it would have done me great joy than to pound the shit out of him with my baseball bat. I also too was hoping for a pantera reunion, we not only lost a great guitarist but also a very good person, dime was so down to earth and just wanted to jam, the only good thing is that he got to go down doing the thing he loved most….
You all need to move on. The name “dimebag” represents a bag of pot! Get your priorities straight.
All I have to say is DimeBag Was truley a Hero why somebody would do this there crazy he wasant a fan he was straight up crazy.Belive me I would take bullet for dime anytime and if I was at that club I would be dead not dime.My dad preformed live in dallas one time he had a green dime guitar and dime was in the crowd right in front and my dad said he was scared to death cause that was his idol and my dad started playing and dime looked at my dad and said get off get off (meaning get crazy or headbang) and my dad was jumping all over the place and that after he was done preforming he got to drink and party with dimebag. Afte the story was over Im like you think im going to believe tha t and he out pulled a video and it was when he was playing in dallas and the camera went on the crowd and there was dimebag headbanging.Well any way dimebag inspiered me to play guitar I watch his videos all the time.He was truley a hero and will be loved for ever he may be dead but he goes on threw a true fans heart and soul.God planed out every bodys life when its time for somebody to go they got to go it was dimes time to go thats the way god mayed it.Right now in heaven he is preforming for everybody else in heaven with eddie and Randy Roads. R.I.P Darrell Lance Abbott Aka Dimebag Darrell