Nathan Gale

Overview

Nathan Gale (September 11, 1979 – December 8, 2004) was a native of Marysville, Ohio, USA, who was killed by a police officer after he murdered several people at a concert, including heavy metal guitarist Dimebag Darrell.

Background

Nathan Gale was a 1998 graduate of Marysville High School.

He served in the United States Marine Corps from February 2002 until November 2003, but did not serve his full term. The circumstances of his discharge were suspected to be a Section 8 case. Gale served as an auto mechanic with the 2nd Marine Division at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Nathan Miles Gale was born in Lansing, Illinois, on September 11, 1979, the last of three boys in the family. His father, Gerald Gale, had left his mother, Mary, by the time he moved to Ohio, where he entered Benjamin Logan Elementary School for fifth grade. School administrators noticed mental health issues early on and put Gale in special-classes for a learning disability. He was later put back into mainstream classes in ninth grade. In tenth grade—during the year of his mother’s second divorce—he began missing 33 days of school. When he and his mom relocated to Marysville, he attended the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center, a vocational school, where reports said he got along well with his peers and, at age 18, completed training as an electrician.

Gale began playing semi-pro football for the Lima Thunder in Ohio. He was known to have listened to Pantera music in preparation for each game, and the coach remembers him as an undistinguished left guard but a goofy, good-natured presence.

In the days before the killings, Gale was described as a large person and a loner who craved friendship. People knew him as a big, weird guy who couldn’t hold down a job and loved Pantera. He often had minor run-ins with police and bounced from job to job, working as a mechanic, landscaper and pavement cleaner. After his USMC discharge, he moved back to Marysville, where many residents worked for factories producing products for Honda, Nestle, Goodyear and other companies.

Several people who knew Gale described mental instability. While in the USMC, he was given medications for his mental problems. Writings found in Gale’s possession indicated that he may have suffered from schizophrenia. Some said he even once “held” an imaginary dog. He also wrote in a journal with entries complaining of an inability to hear his own thoughts.

At the Bears Den Tattoo Studio in Marysville, Gale was described as having started an unprovoked argument earlier in the day over a tattoo machine request. One witness said: “I started telling him about how you need to have a license to have that sort of equipment,” Bo Toller, a tattoo artist at the shop, said. “And Gale became infuriated. ‘He threw the magazine down, said ‘Bullshit—you’re a liar!’ and walked right out. It surprised me. He never showed anybody his temper before.’”

Gale was alleged to have craved friendship and sought to find a group he could fit in. He was seen staring off into space and zoning out on a security camera.

Before the killings, Gale’s social interactions included distancing from him by friends about eight months prior when he claimed Pantera stole lyrics from him and spoke of killing others. Mark Break said: “He told me once that God told him to kill Marilyn Manson,” Mark Break said.

The offence

On December 8, 2004, Nathan Gale stormed the stage during a Damageplan concert at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. He proceeded to shoot and kill Dimebag Darrell (Darrell Abbott) onstage.

After shooting Darrell, Gale turned the gun on those who had rushed the stage to stop him. He killed concert attendee Nathan Bray and club employee Erin Halk, and also killed Jeff “Mayhem” Thompson, a member of the band’s security entourage. He wounded Damageplan’s tour manager Chris Paluska and drum technician John “Kat” Brooks.

The shooting involved multiple gunshots and reloading. According to police, Gale fired a total of fifteen shots, taking the time to reload once, remaining silent throughout the shooting. Nearby Columbus police officer James D. Niggemeyer quickly responded and shot Gale once in the face with a 12 gauge police-issue shotgun after a hostage managed to move out of the way.

Unedited footage of the incident showed Gale’s head being blown off by the shotgun blast. A voice could be heard shouting “Dude, his head is gone”, immediately following the shotgun blast. After the shot, Officer Niggemeyer appeared visibly shaken and a Damageplan roadie told him, “You did the right thing. You saved lives.”

Who was killed and injured

Nathan Gale shot and killed Dimebag Darrell Abbott, also known as “Dimebag” Darrell, onstage. Abbott was shot a total of five times, twice at point blank range in the head, and was 38 years old.

Three others were killed in the shooting:

• Nathan Bray, 23, of Columbus.
• Erin Halk, 29, of northwest Columbus.
• Jeff “Mayhem” Thompson, 40, of Texas.

Gale wounded the following:

• Chris Paluska.
• John “Kat” Brooks (also taken hostage later in the incident).

Sequence during the concert

Gale approached the stage area during the show. At 10:18 p.m., Alrosa Villa employee Emili Lewis fled the club to call the police.

Before the killings, Gale made at least one earlier attempt to enter the area by asking security and staff whether Dime or his brother were aboard.

Once Gale reached the middle of the stage, stagehand Erin Halk and Damageplan’s head of security Jeffery “Mayhem” Thompson started to converge. Before they could get there, Gale pulled out a Beretta and grabbed Darrell Abbott in a headlock. Standing with his arm around Abbott’s neck, Gale fired multiple shots into Abbott’s head and also fired that struck Abbott’s hand. Abbott fell forward with his upper body slumping over his guitar.

After Darrell was shot, stagehand Erin Halk and security guard Jeff Thompson were described as being fatally wounded after the stage rush. Gale then shot Damageplan’s tour manager Chris Paluska in the stomach and shot drum tech John “Kat” Brooks.

Nathan Bray, among fans trying to help Dimebag, was described as administering CPR when he was killed. Gale slapped the new clip in and shot Bray in the chest, killing him.

Gale then took Brooks hostage, holding him in a headlock position after the technician attempted to wrestle him to the ground. When the hostage moved slightly, Officer James D. Niggemeyer shot Gale in the face with a 12 gauge police issue shotgun.

Investigation

In May 2005, Officer Niggemeyer testified before the Franklin County grand jury. The grand jury did not indict Niggemeyer.

Early theories of motive suggested that Gale may have acted on rumors of a Pantera breakup or a public dispute between Abbott and Pantera singer Phil Anselmo, but these theories were ruled out by investigators.

Arrest and police response

Niggemeyer arrived at the scene quickly. He was described as being the first police officer to arrive at the scene. Niggemeyer entered through a back door while holding a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun and fired at Gale’s face.

After the shot, Gale was reported as being dead. By 11 p.m. on December 8, five people in the Alrosa Villa were dead and two were wounded.

Trial and sentencing

No trial proceedings were described, and there was no indictment of Officer James D. Niggemeyer.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

Nathan Gale was killed by police officer James D. Niggemeyer after the police officer shot Gale once in the face with a 12 gauge police-issue shotgun.

The Franklin County Grand Jury determined Niggemeyer’s shooting of Gale to be justified.

On December 15, 2005, the Fraternal Order of Police Associates presented Officer Niggemeyer with the Officer of the Year award.

Niggemeyer also received a commendation for outstanding police work in time of crisis.

Aftermath

Abbott’s family decided to sue the night club where Abbott was murdered. The family’s claim was that if the club had employed competent security guards, the death would not have occurred. The club owner stated that security guards were not trained nor intended to thwart gun wielding guests.

Dimebag Darrell was buried at the Moore Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Texas. Due to insufficient seating, several members of Darrell’s family were escorted out of the funeral services by security to make room for “distinguished guests.” Later during the services, other family members walked out due to extreme profanity and other vulgarities by some of the speakers.

In Eddie Van Halen’s funeral remarks for Darrell, Eddie recounted that Darrell had asked if he could purchase a limited-edition series of guitars bearing Van Halen’s trademark tape-striping. Eddie said: “Eddie replied that the next time he saw Darrell, he would have one of the guitars with him and would stripe it in Darrell’s presence as a gift.” Before they could meet again, Darrell was murdered. Eddie recounted this story when he spoke at Darrell’s funeral and then brought out the black and yellow tape-striped guitar seen on the back cover of Van Halen II, laying it in Darrell’s casket to be buried with him.

The shootings occurred on the 24th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon, but there was no indication that this was a factor in Gale’s actions.

Nurse and audience member Mindy Reece, 28, went to aid of Abbott and administered CPR until paramedics arrived.

Some reports said victim Nathan Bray was also attempting to render assistance when he was killed.

An oft-repeated Web posting called it “the worst day in metal history.”

According to unedited footage, a voice was heard shouting “Dude, his head is gone”, immediately following the shotgun blast.

In one of the interviews described, Gale’s mother Mary Clark later said: “I’m sorry for what happened, I’m sorry for those people who were killed, but I lost a son, too.”

Other details

Gale wore a hockey jersey with the logo of the Columbus Blue Jackets, described as a thick pair of glasses that had been called “birth control glasses” for their woman-repelling qualities, and he wore jeans and a hooded sweatshirt at the time.

Gale’s pistol was described as a 9-mm Beretta semiautomatic, with two clips and 30 extra bullets.

At the concert, the support act and other descriptions included a band named Twelve Gauge.

Patrick Lachman yelled: “Call 911!”

A witness identified Gale as a person who had been present for hours in the parking lot and was seen pacing.

The Marine Corps Times and Marysville Journal-Tribune provided additional reporting, and no more named individuals were described as directly contributing to legal findings beyond Officer Niggemeyer’s testimony.

A song released by Avenged Sevenfold in 2005 was described as being about Gale and Dimebag entitled “Betrayed”, released on their album City of Evil.

Gale was described as having been cremated before an autopsy by the Franklin County Coroner’s office showed no trace of drugs in his system, antipsychotic or otherwise. Before cremation, it was described as being in a private ceremony.

There was also commentary that investigators said a separate “Abbott and Pantera singer Phil Anselmo” dispute theory had been ruled out, and no motive beyond speculation was described as definitively established.

Mark Break said: “When they broke up, I think he felt some kind of personal connection, like he felt left out or betrayed.”

Mark Break also said: “This kid listened to their albums every day. He was obsessed with Pantera.”

Ryan Hughes said: “You ever read Of Mice and Men ?” and: “Lenny? That’s what Nate was like. He’d come running up to you and you weren’t sure if he was going to hug you or snap your neck.” He also said: “Like I said, you knew Nate wasn’t gonna stop until he. . . did something.” and: “[Nate] was just so big and so tweaky and so weird nobody wanted to deal with him.”

Dr. J. Reid Meloy said: “But mass murders are typically overdetermined.” He also said: “It’s a way for them to get distance from it.” and: “Mass murders are usually premeditated for days, weeks or months. It’s what we call ‘predatory’ rather than ‘affective.’ It tends to be very planned, purposeful and emotionless.” and: “And in his mind, he had a right to do this.” and: “All of the slights and failures that Nathan Gale had endured in his 25 years culminated in a single act of retribution.”

A statement attributed to Ryan Hughes included: “‘I had to do it,’ Niggemeyer said—to witnesses, to himself—as Gale lay by the stage. ‘I had to do it.’”