Eagles of Death Metal
The band on stage at Le Bataclan concert hall in Paris managed to escape after the gunman stormed the popular theatre Friday night and opened fire on spectators, according to reports, but it’s uncertain whether all of their crew members made it out safely.
California band Eagles of Death Metal posted on Facebook early Saturday morning in Paris to say the band’s “thoughts were with all of the people involved in this tragic situation.”
The attackers laid siege to the venue in one of six attacks across Paris Friday night, including explosions near Stade de France — where French president Francois Hollande was watching a soccer match between France and Germany — and a shooting at a popular Cambodian restaurant.
While the band said it was still trying to account for all of its members and crew, drummer Julian Dorio’s mother told the Washington Post the band members are safe.
“It was awful,” Mary Lou Dorio told the Post, saying her son was speaking with police and managed to call his wife.
Just hours earlier, Dorio posted a photo on Instagram showing him biking around Paris ahead of the band’s show at Le Bataclan.
Dorio’s bandmate, bassist Matt McJunkins, also posted a photo of the stage at Le Bataclan just hours before the show.
A tweet from another band McJunkins plays with indicates he was also safe.
Reports that @mattmcjunkins and Davey are now safe. Exhale.
— PUSCIFER (@puscifer) November 14, 2015
Radio journalist Julien Pearce told CNN he was also at the concert when the gunmen entered the venue. He described the scene as a “bloodbath.”
“They didn’t shout anything. They didn’t say anything,” Pearce said. “They were just shooting [at] people.”
Pearce described the assailants as wearing black clothing and carrying what he believed were AK 47s. He said gunmen were “firing randomly” for “10 horrific minutes.” Pearce told CNN he managed to escape but said he saw between 20 to 25 bodies on the floor before he got out.
French authorities later confirmed at least 100 people died inside the concert hall; at least 20 others were killed as five other attacks were carried out across the city.
Pearce added he was lucky to be near the front of the concert hall and was climb on the stage and find an exit when one of the gunmen stopped firing long enough to reload his weapon.
“The terrorist were very calm, very determined,” he said.
