Eagles of Death Metal Tearfully Recount Paris Concert Attack: 'There's Blood All Over'

Band members said fans were having a blast and then bodies started falling.

ByABC News
November 25, 2015, 5:46 PM

— -- The members of Eagles of Death Metal emotionally described the night of Nov. 13, when their set at Paris' Bataclan Hall was abruptly interrupted by gunfire in an interview with VICE.

Vocalist Jesse Hughes said in the interview, posted on VICE.com today, that several fans had been killed as they hid in the band's dressing room.

"The killers were able to get in and killed every one of them, except for the kid who was hiding under my leather jacket," Hughes said.

The concert massacre was one of six attacks in the city that night. In total, 130 people were killed. The band's merchandise manager, Nick Alexander, was among the victims.

Guitarist Eden Galindo said at first he thought the sound of gunfire was the PA system "cracking up."

"Then I realized real quick that it wasn't," he said, "and I recognized what it was."

Julian Dorio, on drums, said he could see two gunmen "just relentlessly shooting into the audience."

Shawn London, the band's sound engineer, told VICE that he was situated directly by the doors when the gunmen entered. He said at first, he thought firecrackers were going off behind him. He described the scene as a night of fun for fans quickly turned into a nightmare.

"These kids were having a blast. They were having a great time. ... The smile, the dancing, the singing along with each song," London said. "[Then] instantly people started dropping to the ground, injuries, death. ... They, basically, ran into me. ... He shot at me and he missed. ... We all just huddled. ... There's blood all over."

As the gunmen reloaded, Galindo and others ran off the stage. Eventually they were able to reach a side exit door and get to the streets. They said families left their homes to help the wounded and others who had escaped the carnage.

Bassist Matt McJunkins told VICE that he was trapped in a room for a time with fans who were all seeking a way out. He said he could see the pops of gunfire going off and see lights flashing.

McJunkins said those in the room used chairs to barricade the door and even grabbed a bottle of champagne, likely there for a post-show celebration, as a potential weapon against the attackers.

Hughes, who desperately searched for his girlfriend, Tuesday Cross, in the chaos, said: "People just didn't seem to know what to do." He and Cross were eventually reunited.

Josh Homme, co-founder of the band and also a drummer, was in the U.S. at the time. The band reached him by phone, texting him that people had gotten shot. In the interview with VICE, he said the band was using its platform to make sure the victims were not forgotten.

"We represent the fans that did not make it, the people that did not make it, whose stories may never get told," Homme said.