COLUMBUS, Ohio - It looked like something out of a macabre heavy-metal video: The lights dimmed in the smoke-filled nightclub, the rock band Damageplan launched into its first thunderous riffs, and then a man in a hooded sweatshirt ran the length of the stage and opened fire, shooting the lead guitarist at least five times in the head.
In just minutes, the gunman had killed three others with his silver pistol before being shot to death by a police officer.
The rampage Wednesday night stunned the heavy metal world and left police searching for answers about what set the gunman off.
The slain guitarist, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, 38, was a driving force behind the rock band Pantera, and police are looking into reports from witnesses that the gunman was a fan irate that the hugely influential group broke up.
Some of the 500 people packed into the club to see Abbott's new band initially thought that the gunman was an excited fan or that the shootings were part of the show.
More information at: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041209/ap_on_re_us/nightclub_shooting
In just minutes, the gunman had killed three others with his silver pistol before being shot to death by a police officer.
The rampage Wednesday night stunned the heavy metal world and left police searching for answers about what set the gunman off.
The slain guitarist, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, 38, was a driving force behind the rock band Pantera, and police are looking into reports from witnesses that the gunman was a fan irate that the hugely influential group broke up.
Some of the 500 people packed into the club to see Abbott's new band initially thought that the gunman was an excited fan or that the shootings were part of the show.
More information at: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041209/ap_on_re_us/nightclub_shooting
But, it's tragic. Very tragic.
Shame that it happened.