89 Killed In Attack At Paris Eagles Of Death Metal Concert
Thierry Chesnot/Getty
There’s a major, terrifying story developing in Paris right now. Bataclan, the Paris venue where Eagles Of Death Metal are playing a sold-out show tonight, has been the focus of a terrorist attack. According to the Montreal radio station CJAD, there have been several fatalities, and about 60 people are being held hostage. There are terrorist attacks happening all across Paris right now.
The Guardian reports that there has been some sort of shootout at Bataclan, and hostages have been taken. The Telegraph reports that dozens have been killed in the city, as gunmen with kalashnikov machine guns and grenades have been attacking people in multiple locations. In addition to the Bataclan situation, there have been attacks at a soccer stadium and a Cambodian restaurant.
The attacks must’ve happened during or after the show. The photo below was taken tonight during the show, so we know that the band was onstage for at least part of the night.
UPDATE: Police are now saying that hundreds of people are being held hostage at the Bataclan. AP reports that 35 people have been killed there. The Telegraph is covering the story and streaming live; you can watch it below.
UPDATE 2: The wife of Eagles Of Death Metal drummer Julian Dorio has told The Washington Post that the band members are safe. “We are just holding our breath and saying prayers for everyone,” she says. “He called to say that he loved me and he was safe. Everyone on stage was able to get off.” French president François Hollande has declared a state of emergency and closed the country’s borders.
Hollande : State of Emergency in #Paris , #France Closing Borders. pic.twitter.com/vqeMH8qr6s
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) November 13, 2015
Julien Pearce witness inside #Paris #Bataclan theater describes “bloodbath” https://t.co/6bkpYJAtms https://t.co/Gm71s8KQbi
— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) November 13, 2015
UPDATE 3: Minutes after several explosions and shots were heard nearby, French police launched an assault on the Bataclan. Reports are conflicting, but as of now, there are thought to be at least 60 people dead and about 100 hostages taken.
#BREAKING Police storm Paris concert hall where hostages held: security source
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) November 13, 2015
#BREAKING Attacker in Paris concert hall shouted 'Allahu akbar', fired into crowd, witness says
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) November 13, 2015
The band have shared an official update:
— EaglesOfDeathMetal (@EODMofficial) November 13, 2015
Josh Homme is not currently on tour with them.
UPDATE 4: The AP reports that the assault on the Bataclan has ended and the hostage situation is over. At least two gunmen were killed in the operation.
UPDATE 5: By the AFP’s latest count, at least 100 people were killed in the attack at the Bataclan.
UPDATE 6: According to The Guardian, police are now reporting that 118 people are believed to have died in the Bataclan, in addition to at least 40 in other attacks throughout the city.
UPDATE 7: Drummer Julian Dorio’s brother Michael told Atlanta’s Channel 2 Action News that the attack occurred during the band’s set:
He said they were playing, about six songs into the show, they heard, before they saw anything, they heard automatic machine gunfire. It was so loud, it was louder than the band, and they hit the stage floor. As they got up to try to evacuate they saw men with machine guns just shooting anything and everything in the venue. Fifteen hundred people, Julian said, was about the capacity of the venue. I don’t know if it was seated or standing but Julian, the lead singer and some of the crew, there was a door back of the stage that led to a street and they flew out the back door.
UPDATE 8: NBC News is now reporting that one Eagles Of Death Metal band member was killed in the attack. According to the AP, the head of Paris police says that all attackers are believed to be dead.
UPDATE 9: Pitchfork says that a representative for the band has confirmed that, contrary to NBC’s report, all Eagles Of Death Metal members are safe.
.@Maddow now says NO band members in Eagles of Death Metal is dead, per band's manager — walking back NBC producer report
— Carly Carioli (@carlycarioli) November 14, 2015
UPDATE 10: On Saturday morning, the NYTimes reports that the death toll across the Paris attacks is 127 victims with 300 others hospitalized. French President François Hollande says the Islamic State is responsible. Metro reports that a statement allegedly released by ISIS and translated from French says that Bataclan was targeted because it was “where hundreds of idolaters were together in a party of perversity.”
The Eagles of Death Metal at the Bataclan just before gunmen stormed the concert, via @rock_and_folk #ParisAttacks pic.twitter.com/ZJoIj4eQLb
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) November 14, 2015
UPDATE 11: Eagles Of Death Metal have canceled the remaining dates in their European tour and will return to the US, an official at promoters Nous Productions told AFP. Deftones, who were scheduled to perform three shows at the Bataclan from Saturday to Monday and were in the audience during the attack, will also return home.
Paris has closed all concert halls and performance spaces (including movie theaters, museums, and libraries) along with all Metro stations until further notice.
UPDATE 12: As of Saturday evening, the death toll at Bataclan alone is 89. Dozens more are critically injured. Among the dead are music journalist Guillaume B. Decherf, Mercury Records staffer Thomas Ayad, and EODM merch manager Nick Alexander. Members of MGMT, Best Coast, Fall Out Boy, Alice In Chains, and the Black Keys have paid tribute to Alexander on social media.
