DAMAGEPLAN Shooting Update: VINNIE PAUL Uninjured; Metal Musicians Mourn DIMEBAG's Passing

Scoop of the Columbus, Ohio radio station The Blitz 99.7 FM has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET that DAMAGEPLAN drummer Vinnie Paul was uninjured in the shooting incident at a Columbus nightclub which resulted in the death of Paul's brother, Dimebag Darrell. According to Scoop, who attended the concert and briefly saw Vinnie following the incident, Paul was in a complete state of shock and expressed his desire to be with his brother right after the shooting occurred.

A friend of Scoop's, Kevin Minerd, who also attended the concert, told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that the gunman entered the stage from the left side and walked over to the right side where Dimebag was standing before grabbing the guitarist and pumping several bullets into him. Additional shots were fired, although it's presently unclear which other member of DAMAGEPLAN, if any, was killed in the incident.

"A Columbus police officer, when he arrived, engaged the shooter, and the shooter is also dead, and if the officer hadn't acted when he did and how he did, we'd probably be looking at more dead, because this guy was actively shooting," Sergeant Brent Mull, public information officer, told MTV News.

"We have 200-plus patrons that we have sequestered inside three city buses," Sergeant Mull explained. "We are interviewing them one by one. The ones that were inside and witnessed this, ran for their lives and were in fear for their lives. They are victims too, and we want to take care of them."

As news of Dimebag's (born Darrell Lance Abbott in Dallas, Texas on August 20, 1966) bizarre and tragic demise rippled through the metal community, the news was met with shock and sadness.

"I'm speechless," friend and ROB ZOMBIE/OZZY OSBOURNE bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson told MTV. "This is totally unreal. Dimebag is a fucking legend and this is total bullshit."

"This is insane and this is beyond travesty," KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman, and former DAMAGEPLAN tour partner, Howard Jones said. "This is beyond anything I've ever heard. This shouldn't happen in or outside of the rock and metal community. He will be missed and mourned as a person, as a musician, and as a friend."

ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian, whose band has toured with PANTERA and has featured Dimebag guest appearances on their albums, stated in a posting on ANTHRAX's web site, "I am devastated as I'm sure we all are. All I can convey at this moment are my condolences to Rita and Vinnie and the whole family. My heart is with you."

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx offered the following: "Dime, I will never forget all the times you made us laugh. I'm so happy we got to spend the day together in London recently… We should all live our lives as full as you have. I will miss you, as will all of us... This is a sad day."

Rich Ward (FOZZY, STUCK MOJO): "Darrell was as nice as they come. During the times that I spent with him, I wondered why he played in such a heavy band. Not that he didn't have the ability to school all of us that dared to share a stage with him, but because he seemed like such a gentle and kind man. He had a great sense of humor and was someone that everyone in the room gravitated toward. He never carried himself like the big rock star that he really was, instead he came across humble and appreciative. I consider it a privilege to have known him, as he was one of the 'real' guys in the business and as Zakk [Wylde] would say, 'one of the boys'!"

Shaun Glass (SOIL): "Today I am saddened to say I lost my friend and hero it sickens me that someone would take away a person that brought so much joy to so many people. Love ya, Double D."

SEPULTURA: "Dimebag was an excellent musician and a good friend, a fucking great partner in memorable tours. We'll miss him very much. Our condolences to the Abbott family."

MACHINE HEAD: "MACHINE HEAD are devastated by the horrific news. Our deepest sympathy and condolences to the Abbott family, DAMAGEPLAN and former members of PANTERA. Our thoughts are with you all."

Jon Dette (ex-SLAYER, TESTAMENT): "My brother just called to tell me that Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage tonight. Words cannot express the sadness I'm feeling right now and my condolences go out to Vinnie Paul and the Abbott family for their loss. This is a huge tragedy for the music world."

Orange County, California-based sextet BLEED THE SKY (recently signed to Nuclear Blast Records): "It's a sad day in heavy metal, Dimebag Darrell formerly of PANTERA, was shot and killed while performing with DAMAGEPLAN in Ohio. We would more than likely not be a band if it wasn't for him, and can't possibly imagine the pain that his brother and his family must be in. RIP, brother, heavy music will never be the same without you."

TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy: "There's nothing that hasn't already been said or felt about this recent tragedy regarding Dimebag Darrell. All I can say is that Dimebag was one of the most influential musicians in our time. Legends aren't something we can pick and choose and they aren't here in vast numbers — Dime was a man who helped inspire countless numbers of players, fans, and people in general, a legend who really made the world seem that much better. Everyone I know who has met Dime says he was really nothing short of one of the nicest people they'd ever met, that he was a humble fun-loving metal head. But now Dimebag Darrell: a son, a brother, an idol, a musician, a fellow man... has been taken from us. It's a terrifying feeling that now at concerts, our very release from the everyday world we each seek out to escape from, our heroes are being murdered. My heart goes out to the Abbott family: Dimebag Darrell Abbott was a man of legendary and heroic status, but before all that Darrell was and always will be a brother and a son; we all mourn today."