Columbus, Ohio's NBC 4 is reporting that as most fans rushed for the exits after a nightclub shooting that killed five people, a few tried to help and comfort the victims, witnesses and police say.

Those included Nathan Bray, a fan who was trying to save the life of DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott before being shot and killed himself, a witness said. A service for Bray, 23, was held Saturday in Circleville, NBC 4's Natalie Walston reported. Nearly 200 people attended the service.

"When he (Abbott) was laying on the stage, a group of people jumped up there to try and help him," said Adam Vanover, 45, of Bellefontaine.

Bray was leaning over Abbott, holding him and trying to perform CPR, Vanover said.

"When he (Bray) looked up at the shooter that's when the shooter shot him," Vanover said.

Another concertgoer, Billy Clark of New Carlisle, told the Springfield News-Sun for a story Saturday that after Abbott was shot, he jumped a railing and tried to pull Abbott to safety, but he heard more gunfire and hid behind speakers.

Clark said he and some friends moved Abbott behind the speakers and they recruited others to carry him out of the club.

"I kept telling them that 'Dime' was still a target and we had to get him out of there," Clark said.

He said he checked Abbott for a pulse but could not find one.

Columbus police spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull confirmed that fans and others attended to the victims before emergency crews arrived, but he could not comment on what happened before police got there.

Abbott, Bray and two others were killed as DAMAGEPLAN began playing at Alrosa Villa on Wednesday night. Police shot and killed the gunman, Nathan Gale, 25, of Marysville.

Gale also killed Erin Halk, 29, a club employee who loaded band equipment, and band bodyguard Jeff Thompson, 40.

Another band employee injured in the shooting, drum technician John Brooks, was released from Riverside Hospital on Friday. Tour manager Chris Paluska was in stable condition.

Linda Moore, 42, of Columbus, attended the concert with her 21-year-old son. She said she was about 10 feet to the side of the stage when Gale began shooting.

She said few people had a good view of what happened immediately after the shootings because towers of loudspeakers obscured the people onstage. She also was trying to get herself and her son out of the club.

She took issue with those who said they heard Gale yell at Abbott about the breakup of PANTERA, his old band. She said the music was so loud, no one could hear anything else.

"You don't need anything to tell you that except what the science is of decibels," Moore said.

Source:blabbermouth.net