Dimebag Darrell Shooting — Alrosa Villa, Columbus, Ohio

On December 8, 2004 — the 24th anniversary of John Lennon's murder — Dimebag Darrell Abbott was shot and killed on stage at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, while performing with his band Damageplan. A former US Marine named Nathan Gale stormed the stage during the first song and shot Darrell multiple times at point-blank range, also killing three others and wounding seven before being shot dead by a responding police officer. It was one of the most shocking acts of violence in live music history.

Dimebag Darrell (born Darrell Lance Abbott in Arlington, Texas, in 1966) was the guitarist of Pantera, one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the 1990s. His guitar work on albums like Vulgar Display of Power (1992) and Far Beyond Driven (1994) — characterised by crushing, groove-laden riffs and fleet-fingered solos — redefined heavy metal guitar in the post-thrash era. He and his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul, formed Damageplan after Pantera's acrimonious breakup in 2003. Darrell was 38 years old.

The Alrosa Villa nightclub at 5055 Sinclair Road was a small club with a capacity of around 300. A memorial plaque was placed outside the venue. Dimebag Darrell is buried at Moore Memorial Gardens in Arlington, Texas, alongside a KISS Kasket donated by Gene Simmons and a Dean guitar from Eddie Van Halen. His grave is a major destination for metal fans.