Over 100 Reportedly Killed in Hostage Situation at Eagles of Death Metal Show in Paris
Eagles of Death Metal performing at Le Bataclan tonight, via Instagram
A wave of violence has broken out in Paris tonight, with multiple shootings leaving many people dead, according to The New York Times. Hostages were taken at Le Bataclan, a club in the 11th arrondissement. Eagles of Death Metal performed at Le Bataclan tonight.
Update 11/13 6:15 p.m.: The Washington Post has spoken with the mother of Eagles of Death Metal drummer Julian Dorio, who says that her son, and the rest of the band members, are safe. The Post reports, “She said she spoke to her son’s wife, who said that the band members had managed to flee the concert hall when the attack began. The fate of several crew members remains unknown, she said.”
Update 11/13 6:30 p.m.: Europe 1 journalist Julien Pearce was in the venue during the attack, the BBC reports. “Several armed men came into the concert,” he told the BBC. “Two or three men, not wearing masks, came in with what looked like Kalashnikovs and fired blindly on the crowd. It lasted between 10 and 15 minutes. It was extremely violent and there was panic. The attackers had enough time to reload at least three times. They were very young.”
Update 11/13 6:37 p.m.: The AFP reports that police have “stormed” Le Bataclan.
Update: 11/13 6:48 p.m.: Eagles of Death Metal posted on Facebook, “We are still currently trying to determine the safety and whereabouts of all our band and crew. Our thoughts are with all of the people involved in this tragic situation.”
Update 7:03 p.m.: According to the Associated Press, the police raid on Le Bataclan has finished, and “at least 2 attackers” have been killed. The New York Times reports that the hostage situation has ended. The AFP later reported that three attackers were killed.
Update 11/13: 7:17 p.m.: The AFP reports that “around 100 people” have died at Le Bataclan.
Update 11/13 8:38 p.m.: Drummer Julian Dorio’s brother Michael told Atlanta’s Channel 2 Action News that the attack happened in the middle of 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.