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CNN Live At Daybreak

Gunman Opens Fire During Heavy Metal Concert in Columbus, Ohio

Aired December 09, 2004 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Welcome to the second half hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello.
"Now In The News": A gunman opens fire last night during a heavy metal concert in Columbus, Ohio. He kills four people. At least one of them a member of the band, DamagePlan. Two other people were critically wounded before the gunman was shot to death by a police officer.

Six people are missing after a Coast Guard rescue helicopter crashed in the Bering Sea off of Alaska. The chopper was trying to rescue the crew of a freighter that ran aground on one of the Aleutian Islands.

Rescue workers in the northern Philippines have pulled four survivors from the ruble of a building 10 days after a series of storms destroyed it. More than 840 people died in these storms.

United Air Lines Flight 869 leaves San Francisco today for Ho Chi Minh City. It is United's inaugural flight to Vietnam. The first such commercial service by a U.S. airline since the war ended in 1975.

To the Forecast Center and Rob Marciano in for Chad this morning.

Good morning.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

COSTELLO: Let's head to the "War Room" right now. In every war you are going to have dead and wounded troops, of course, Iraq is no exception. But this time, there is a difference, a little silver lining.

Let's live to Atlanta and our Senior International Editor David Clinch, who has some new statistics for us this morning.

Good morning, David.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Good morning, Carol.

And yes, it is a good news story. We're always looking for good news stories. It is on the most part a good news story about Iraq. A study appearing in the "New England Journal of Medicine" today; a very careful analysis of the way in which the wounded from this current war in Iraq have been treated. And some very interesting facts and figures from this. Most particularly, the fact that only -- this is a rather macabre way to say it -- but only 10 percent of those wounded in the war in Iraq have died. Now, the interesting comparison there, that the doctor who has put the case together, is that more than 25 percent of the wounded from the wars in Vietnam, and other wars in the last century or so, died. In this case only 10 percent.

Many of the reason put forward are, much better body armor. We heard yesterday soldiers complaining about not enough armor on their vehicles, but apparently a big contributing factor here, they have better body armor.

Another contributing factor, the incredible amount of money, energy and time that is being devoted to medical care in the field and getting people out very quickly. We had coverage a couple of weeks ago, from Lanstool (ph) Medical Center in Germany, when we had a lot of injured from Falluja, being taken there. So, massive improvement in the way that the wounded are treated and removed from the war theater immediately.

COSTELLO: David Clinch, live from Atlanta. Thank you for that.

Now a follow up to a story that we brought you in the "War Room" yesterday. U.S. soldiers heading to Iraq complained openly to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about the lack of potentially life saving armored vehicles. You heard David just mention that. The Pentagon spokesperson says Rumsfeld was not embarrassed. But Senator Christopher Dodd, of Connecticut, says, Rumsfeld should be.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D-CT): What's even more shocking than the statement in many ways, is the apparent lack of concern showed by the administration for the critical shortfalls in protective equipment and body armor that is so vitally important if these young men and women are going be able to complete their jobs.

We obviously bear responsibility to bring security to Iraq and to the Iraqi people. I would argue there is a heightened degree of responsibility to see to it that the men and women who go into harms way receive the maximum amount of protection that they can have to do their jobs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Rumsfeld did tell the troops that the military is working as fast as it can to get armored vehicles to them on the front lines.

Let's get more now on that nightclub shooting in Ohio. One witness says she thought it was part of the show. A man jumps on stage, at a Columbus, Ohio concert, and begins shooting at the band, DamagePlan. At least five people were killed, including the gunman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was right in the front when it happened. I thought it was staged. You know, I didn't believe it was a real thing that happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: For the latest let's head to Columbus and CNN Assignment Editor Steve Brusk who is on the ground there.

Good morning, Steve.

STEVE BRUSK, CNN ASSIGNMENT EDITOR: Good morning, Carol.

And that the story we're hearing over and over from the people who have come out of the club. Many were in there all night talking to detectives.

As they come up to us, still stunned by what happened, they all said the same thing, they thought that it had to be deliberate. This was just moments into the show. The band had just taken the stage.

They were maybe 30 seconds into the performance when witnesses say they saw a man dressed in a hockey jersey run across the stage, went right up to the lead guitarist and was standing, you know, just feet from him. You know, point blank range, and fired three or four shots directly at him.

At that point people realized, as the guitarist fell, that this was not part of the show. That this was a very real situation. And at that point it got even worse. The gunman began firing randomly, according to witnesses. He fired into the crowd. He fired at other members of the band.

At one point he grabbed a hostage and held him onstage, his arms wrapped around him. As he turned towards the crowd and fired several shots. People at that point, were scrambling, hitting the ground, trying to get to the exits, trying to get to away from what was, at that point, an extraordinarily dangerous situation. Because what started, apparently according to police, as him targeting at least some members of the band, turned into a complete shootout, him firing randomly at whoever he could.

COSTELLO: Oh.

BRUSK: How this came to an end, Carol, was there was a police officer on patrol in the neighborhood not very far away from this nightclub. When the initial went out of shots fired, he went to the back of the concert venue, came in through a back way, quietly, went on stage confronted the man and then was able to fire shots kill the suspect and bring this to an end.

One police officer I talked to early this morning said, had that officer not been there many more people would have been dead inside.

COSTELLO: Oh, it is just unbelievable. I have so many questions. Let's talk first about these band members. DamagePlan is the bands name and two of the members are from the heavy metal band Pantera. And many of you might be familiar with Pantera. They were very popular in the '90s. Dime Bag Daryl was the guitarist. Is that the guitarist that was shot, Steve.

BRUSK: That is, according to witnesses, according to multiple witnesses, that is who was shot. He is quite a figure in the heavy metal industry. We talked to a number of people who came to this who drove hours. Some came three, four hours to see the show.

The former members of Pantera, the new group, DamagePlan, do have quite a following in the heavy metal community. Several people, more than one witness told us that this was their idol. That they were watching their idol onstage, being shot when this happened.

COSTELLO: So, Dime Bag Daryl is the guitarist. We also heard that Vinnie Paul, the drummer, was injured in some way. Can you confirm that?

BRUSK: Police have confirmed that a second member of the band was shot. Police are still waiting to make notifications of family. We've tried to be somewhat careful with the names because while hundreds and hundreds of people saw this and are identifying the people involved, police are still working very methodically through their investigation and have been careful to say, hey, we are not releasing those names at this point.

COSTELLO: This nightclub, it is very popular in Columbus and very large. Were there security checks at the front door?

BRUSK: There were not security checks. And by the way, Columbus police were not working the concert. Sometimes at shows like this you will have off-duty officers hired to work security. In this case they were not. A sergeant told us that the club didn't feel that it was necessary. They did not consider the problems they had had there at any point to be worthy of needing additional security.

They do have their own security on site. There was a heavy, normal security presence there, like they would have for any show like this. In fact some people are crediting the quick reaction of bouncers, and of course, the heroic efforts of that police officer, with getting to the gunman quickly and at least distracting him or at least keeping from firing directly at more people. In fact, one of the bouncers, we are told is among those who were shot.

COSTELLO: I believe we have a graphic of the band members to show people right now. The guitarist, you see, is Dime Bag Daryl, who is playing the guitar, obviously.

How many people were inside of this club, Steve?

BRUSK: We know that there were several hundred people. I've heard estimates of 200 to 300. I don't believe it was a full house inside, but you had a crowded room. And, Carol, I couldn't help, as story unfolded tonight, flashed back to the awful tragedy in Rhode Island, at a very similar club, when the fire broke out, last year, that claimed unfortunately 100 lives. One of the biggest fears you have to have, in addition to the immediate danger, whether in that case a fire, in this case a gunman on stage opening fire, is people trying to get out. You run that very real risk of a stampede or of people being injured trying to get away from the danger.

There were a couple, we're told, other injuries, non-life threatening, of people. We don't know exactly how they were injured. But they had paramedics from three fire departments, from three cities, that had to come, not only to deal with the very serious injuries on site here but with other bumps and bruises of people trying to get out.

COSTELLO: Just awful, Steve Brusk, live in Columbus. Thanks for being with us on DAYBREAK.

And again, five people dead in that Columbus nightclub tragedy.

Still ahead on DAYBREAK, reasons why you need to take care of your heart this holiday season. Plus, David Beckham as Joseph? And President Bush as one of the Three Wise Men? A celebrity Nativity scene that some believe is disrespectful.

But first here is a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.

(GRAPHIC WITH HEADLINES)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Who says crime doesn't pay? Sometimes it does. Martha Stewart already has her next gig lined up, once she gets out of prison. She'll host her own daytime TV show. It will be full of celebrities, cooking, and crime stories. CNN's Mary Snow has other details for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

I cannot wait 'til she comes out of jail and we can work together. And that was her, yesterday, by the way in the prison kitchen.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Reality TV brainchild Mark Burnett is bringing to NBC what could be the ultimate reality show. Convicted felon Martha Stewart as a TV show host this fall.

JEFF ZUCKER, PRES., NBC UNIVERSAL TV GROUP: We're thrilled to have Martha back at NBC.

SNOW: Stewart will host an hour-long syndication show. She inked her TV deal before going to prison and she can't conduct business while serving time in Alderson. She is serving five months for lying to federal investigators about a stock sale. Her company's CEO says there was no hesitation about making the announcement while she serving time. SUSAN LYNE, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA: This is a forgiving country. People love redemption stories and I think Martha did something very brave by deciding she was going to serve this term before any appeal took place.

SNOW: Her experience behind bars will be part of the show. Her new producer, whose visitor in prison says, interest in her has only grown.

BURNETT: Here is a first-time ever, probably, for the general public to hear from someone what it is really like to be in jail.

SNOW (on camera): Mark Burnett did visit Martha Stewart in jail, but he said, they did not talk business since that's forbidden while Stewart is serving time. Her company also said that the final arrangements of this TV deal were done without Martha Stewart -- May Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The head of NBC Universal television predicts greatness for Martha Stewart. Zucker spoke to CNN about the domestic diva.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF ZUCKER, PRESIDENT, NBC UNIVERSAL TV GROUP: She's the quintessential American success story who became one of the world's first female billionaires, successful CEOs, who obviously, endured a difficult time and was the height of her game and was taken down at that height. And I think it is going to be one of the great comeback stories of next year, the comeback of Martha Stewart.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Investors are also pumped up about the Martha Stewart deal. Announcement of the TV show prompted a 4 percent jump in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia stock. Only in America.

Up next on DAYBREAK, a laptop should be used on your lap, right? Not so, says one report. We'll bring you all the details.

But first, put your thinking caps on, get your coffee. Drink it. I need some. Here's your history trivia question for the morning. What famous couple announced they were separating on this day in 1992?

Whew. We'll give you the answer after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Our trivia history question of the morning is: What famous couple announced they were separating on this day in 1992?

The answer, I can't believe you didn't get this one, Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

British Prime Minister John Major announces the formal separate of the royal couple on this day back in 1992.

And in "Health Headlines" this morning, researchers in Boston say the drug Excellon (ph) prescribed for Alzheimer's patients may also help people who develop dementia from Parkinson's disease. Excellon is prescribed to restore memory in Alzheimer's patients.

And expert in Britain is warning teenage boys and young men to keep their laptop computers off their laps. He says laptops can achieve high internal operating temperatures and that could adversely affect a man's fertility.

Some researchers in the U.S. and Britain say a new type of breast cancer drug is superior to the old standard Tamoxafin (ph), but other experts say the new aromatase inhibitors work for only half of all women with breast cancer. The tests and the debate continues.

The Christmas tree is up, it is snowing outside, and the stage is set for a heart attack. More people are prone to suffer a heart attack during the holidays than any other time of the year. CNN Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen takes a look at why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What do all of these things have in common? Shoveling snow, the holidays, the flu, and cold weather? The answer: They're all reasons why heart attacks are more likely to occur in the wintertime.

In fact, heart attacks are 53 percent more likely in the winter and a winter heart attack is 19 percent more likely to be deadly.

One of the reasons behind winter heart attacks is obvious. Shoveling snow puts a strain on the heart if you're not used to that much exercise. The holidays contribute to heart attacks because of higher levels of stress.

DR. KAROL WATSON, UCLA MEDICAL CENTER: Many studies have shown that people have an increase level of stress and an increased level of depression around the holidays. Both of which, we know, can precipitate a heart disease.

COHEN: Plus, there is holiday eating. Studies show that even just one meal high in saturated fat...

WATSON: That extra piece of cheesecake, an extra glass of egg nog...

COHEN: ...can increase your odds of having a heart attack. As for the flu...

WATSON: Even though you feel like you only have the flu in your chest, or in your nose, or your head, the vessels all over your body can become inflamed from that one disease.

COHEN: And inflammation of the vessels leading to the heart can help cause a heart attack. And cold weather can cause vessels to narrow, another heart attack trigger. So, while you can't avoid winter altogether, if you are at a high risk of having a heart attack, you can dress warmly, watch what you eat, get a flu shot, and if you're not up to it, get someone else to shovel that snow -- Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: For more on this or any other health story head to our web site, the address, CNN.com/health.

Coming up in the next hour of DAYBREAK, fans and players charged in the basket brawl. We will bring you the legal fallout from the NBA fight. And forget about color and sizes, our Ali Velshi will be here with the best ways to give cash, cold hard cash, this Christmas. You stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The Virgin Mary a Spice Girl? Mmm, a Nativity Scene is causing quite a stir, especially among Christian leaders. Paula Hancocks tells us what all the fuss is about.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It is a cost that any director would pay thousands for, footballer David Beckham and his singer wife, Victoria, as Joseph & Mary. And the Three Wise Men from the East, actually include two leaders from the West, George Bush and Tony Blair, as well as the husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth.

DIANE MOORE, MADAME TUSSAUD'S: I'm assuming that people are voting tongue in check, because they've all been accused of saying some rather unwise things in the past. But I think it is very funny.

HANCOCKS: Australian pop star Carly Manogue (ph) hovers above the scene as an angel. Madame Tussaud's says the display was meant as an amusing way to bring the nativity to a wider audience.

(on camera): Madame Tussaud's may have stopped short of putting an actual baby Beckham in the crib as Jesus, but not everyone is impressed by this star-studded Nativity Scene. Some church leaders have described it as cheap and in very bad taste.

(voice over): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) from Anglicans, the Vatican, a few of the visitors.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My own opinion, I don't like it. I think its in bad taste.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it would have been better just to choose people who were more religious as themselves, and I'm (UNINTELLIGIBLE). People who have more of a neutral approach.

HANCOCKS: Making a mockery out of the Nativity or bringing the birth of Christ to a godless society? Madame Tussaud's may take comfort from the words of Oscar Wilde, there is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: So, it has been a very mixed reaction here, Carol, to the display of the Nativity at Madame Tussaud's. We have got condemnation on one side from the church leaders. A very interesting response of wary resignation from the spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rone Willams (ph), saying simply: There is a tradition of each generation trying to reinterpret the Nativity. But oh, dear.

And also it has sparked a tremendous amount of media interest as you can imagine. It has sparked a debate in "The Sun" tabloid here in London. Saying, "So is this really the most offensive image in Britain?" And "The Sun" goes on to point out that maybe this is political and religious corruptness gone mad.

Pointing out that the Nativity and the word "Christmas" has been banned from certain areas. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) bosses in Luton, just north of London, have renamed their Christmas lights as "luminos" to avoid upsetting minorities. And also bosses at a certain library have banned posters advertising a carol service in the library itself in case it does offend other religions.

So, there is a lot of debate on the back of this as whether this is just religious gone mad, but certainly some of the church leaders have been very angry about it.

A spokesman for the Presbyterian Church, here in London, saying the display should be shut down immediately, Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. But the museum is standing firm? It is going to keep the scene up?

HANCOCKS: Well, the spokesperson I spoke to on Wednesday did say that it was tongue in cheek. She didn't understand what the fuss was about. She did apologize that there have been certain elements that have been very offended by it. She didn't believe that the display would be taken down, but there are other people that are saying that it does have to be, so that there won't be more church leaders who are offended. It really has been quite a dramatic response to what was just a Nativity scene and what they say was just tongue in cheek.

COSTELLO: Paula Hancocks, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired December 9, 2004 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Welcome to the second half hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello.
"Now In The News": A gunman opens fire last night during a heavy metal concert in Columbus, Ohio. He kills four people. At least one of them a member of the band, DamagePlan. Two other people were critically wounded before the gunman was shot to death by a police officer.

Six people are missing after a Coast Guard rescue helicopter crashed in the Bering Sea off of Alaska. The chopper was trying to rescue the crew of a freighter that ran aground on one of the Aleutian Islands.

Rescue workers in the northern Philippines have pulled four survivors from the ruble of a building 10 days after a series of storms destroyed it. More than 840 people died in these storms.

United Air Lines Flight 869 leaves San Francisco today for Ho Chi Minh City. It is United's inaugural flight to Vietnam. The first such commercial service by a U.S. airline since the war ended in 1975.

To the Forecast Center and Rob Marciano in for Chad this morning.

Good morning.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

COSTELLO: Let's head to the "War Room" right now. In every war you are going to have dead and wounded troops, of course, Iraq is no exception. But this time, there is a difference, a little silver lining.

Let's live to Atlanta and our Senior International Editor David Clinch, who has some new statistics for us this morning.

Good morning, David.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Good morning, Carol.

And yes, it is a good news story. We're always looking for good news stories. It is on the most part a good news story about Iraq. A study appearing in the "New England Journal of Medicine" today; a very careful analysis of the way in which the wounded from this current war in Iraq have been treated. And some very interesting facts and figures from this. Most particularly, the fact that only -- this is a rather macabre way to say it -- but only 10 percent of those wounded in the war in Iraq have died. Now, the interesting comparison there, that the doctor who has put the case together, is that more than 25 percent of the wounded from the wars in Vietnam, and other wars in the last century or so, died. In this case only 10 percent.

Many of the reason put forward are, much better body armor. We heard yesterday soldiers complaining about not enough armor on their vehicles, but apparently a big contributing factor here, they have better body armor.

Another contributing factor, the incredible amount of money, energy and time that is being devoted to medical care in the field and getting people out very quickly. We had coverage a couple of weeks ago, from Lanstool (ph) Medical Center in Germany, when we had a lot of injured from Falluja, being taken there. So, massive improvement in the way that the wounded are treated and removed from the war theater immediately.

COSTELLO: David Clinch, live from Atlanta. Thank you for that.

Now a follow up to a story that we brought you in the "War Room" yesterday. U.S. soldiers heading to Iraq complained openly to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about the lack of potentially life saving armored vehicles. You heard David just mention that. The Pentagon spokesperson says Rumsfeld was not embarrassed. But Senator Christopher Dodd, of Connecticut, says, Rumsfeld should be.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D-CT): What's even more shocking than the statement in many ways, is the apparent lack of concern showed by the administration for the critical shortfalls in protective equipment and body armor that is so vitally important if these young men and women are going be able to complete their jobs.

We obviously bear responsibility to bring security to Iraq and to the Iraqi people. I would argue there is a heightened degree of responsibility to see to it that the men and women who go into harms way receive the maximum amount of protection that they can have to do their jobs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Rumsfeld did tell the troops that the military is working as fast as it can to get armored vehicles to them on the front lines.

Let's get more now on that nightclub shooting in Ohio. One witness says she thought it was part of the show. A man jumps on stage, at a Columbus, Ohio concert, and begins shooting at the band, DamagePlan. At least five people were killed, including the gunman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was right in the front when it happened. I thought it was staged. You know, I didn't believe it was a real thing that happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: For the latest let's head to Columbus and CNN Assignment Editor Steve Brusk who is on the ground there.

Good morning, Steve.

STEVE BRUSK, CNN ASSIGNMENT EDITOR: Good morning, Carol.

And that the story we're hearing over and over from the people who have come out of the club. Many were in there all night talking to detectives.

As they come up to us, still stunned by what happened, they all said the same thing, they thought that it had to be deliberate. This was just moments into the show. The band had just taken the stage.

They were maybe 30 seconds into the performance when witnesses say they saw a man dressed in a hockey jersey run across the stage, went right up to the lead guitarist and was standing, you know, just feet from him. You know, point blank range, and fired three or four shots directly at him.

At that point people realized, as the guitarist fell, that this was not part of the show. That this was a very real situation. And at that point it got even worse. The gunman began firing randomly, according to witnesses. He fired into the crowd. He fired at other members of the band.

At one point he grabbed a hostage and held him onstage, his arms wrapped around him. As he turned towards the crowd and fired several shots. People at that point, were scrambling, hitting the ground, trying to get to the exits, trying to get to away from what was, at that point, an extraordinarily dangerous situation. Because what started, apparently according to police, as him targeting at least some members of the band, turned into a complete shootout, him firing randomly at whoever he could.

COSTELLO: Oh.

BRUSK: How this came to an end, Carol, was there was a police officer on patrol in the neighborhood not very far away from this nightclub. When the initial went out of shots fired, he went to the back of the concert venue, came in through a back way, quietly, went on stage confronted the man and then was able to fire shots kill the suspect and bring this to an end.

One police officer I talked to early this morning said, had that officer not been there many more people would have been dead inside.

COSTELLO: Oh, it is just unbelievable. I have so many questions. Let's talk first about these band members. DamagePlan is the bands name and two of the members are from the heavy metal band Pantera. And many of you might be familiar with Pantera. They were very popular in the '90s. Dime Bag Daryl was the guitarist. Is that the guitarist that was shot, Steve.

BRUSK: That is, according to witnesses, according to multiple witnesses, that is who was shot. He is quite a figure in the heavy metal industry. We talked to a number of people who came to this who drove hours. Some came three, four hours to see the show.

The former members of Pantera, the new group, DamagePlan, do have quite a following in the heavy metal community. Several people, more than one witness told us that this was their idol. That they were watching their idol onstage, being shot when this happened.

COSTELLO: So, Dime Bag Daryl is the guitarist. We also heard that Vinnie Paul, the drummer, was injured in some way. Can you confirm that?

BRUSK: Police have confirmed that a second member of the band was shot. Police are still waiting to make notifications of family. We've tried to be somewhat careful with the names because while hundreds and hundreds of people saw this and are identifying the people involved, police are still working very methodically through their investigation and have been careful to say, hey, we are not releasing those names at this point.

COSTELLO: This nightclub, it is very popular in Columbus and very large. Were there security checks at the front door?

BRUSK: There were not security checks. And by the way, Columbus police were not working the concert. Sometimes at shows like this you will have off-duty officers hired to work security. In this case they were not. A sergeant told us that the club didn't feel that it was necessary. They did not consider the problems they had had there at any point to be worthy of needing additional security.

They do have their own security on site. There was a heavy, normal security presence there, like they would have for any show like this. In fact some people are crediting the quick reaction of bouncers, and of course, the heroic efforts of that police officer, with getting to the gunman quickly and at least distracting him or at least keeping from firing directly at more people. In fact, one of the bouncers, we are told is among those who were shot.

COSTELLO: I believe we have a graphic of the band members to show people right now. The guitarist, you see, is Dime Bag Daryl, who is playing the guitar, obviously.

How many people were inside of this club, Steve?

BRUSK: We know that there were several hundred people. I've heard estimates of 200 to 300. I don't believe it was a full house inside, but you had a crowded room. And, Carol, I couldn't help, as story unfolded tonight, flashed back to the awful tragedy in Rhode Island, at a very similar club, when the fire broke out, last year, that claimed unfortunately 100 lives. One of the biggest fears you have to have, in addition to the immediate danger, whether in that case a fire, in this case a gunman on stage opening fire, is people trying to get out. You run that very real risk of a stampede or of people being injured trying to get away from the danger.

There were a couple, we're told, other injuries, non-life threatening, of people. We don't know exactly how they were injured. But they had paramedics from three fire departments, from three cities, that had to come, not only to deal with the very serious injuries on site here but with other bumps and bruises of people trying to get out.

COSTELLO: Just awful, Steve Brusk, live in Columbus. Thanks for being with us on DAYBREAK.

And again, five people dead in that Columbus nightclub tragedy.

Still ahead on DAYBREAK, reasons why you need to take care of your heart this holiday season. Plus, David Beckham as Joseph? And President Bush as one of the Three Wise Men? A celebrity Nativity scene that some believe is disrespectful.

But first here is a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.

(GRAPHIC WITH HEADLINES)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Who says crime doesn't pay? Sometimes it does. Martha Stewart already has her next gig lined up, once she gets out of prison. She'll host her own daytime TV show. It will be full of celebrities, cooking, and crime stories. CNN's Mary Snow has other details for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

I cannot wait 'til she comes out of jail and we can work together. And that was her, yesterday, by the way in the prison kitchen.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Reality TV brainchild Mark Burnett is bringing to NBC what could be the ultimate reality show. Convicted felon Martha Stewart as a TV show host this fall.

JEFF ZUCKER, PRES., NBC UNIVERSAL TV GROUP: We're thrilled to have Martha back at NBC.

SNOW: Stewart will host an hour-long syndication show. She inked her TV deal before going to prison and she can't conduct business while serving time in Alderson. She is serving five months for lying to federal investigators about a stock sale. Her company's CEO says there was no hesitation about making the announcement while she serving time. SUSAN LYNE, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA: This is a forgiving country. People love redemption stories and I think Martha did something very brave by deciding she was going to serve this term before any appeal took place.

SNOW: Her experience behind bars will be part of the show. Her new producer, whose visitor in prison says, interest in her has only grown.

BURNETT: Here is a first-time ever, probably, for the general public to hear from someone what it is really like to be in jail.

SNOW (on camera): Mark Burnett did visit Martha Stewart in jail, but he said, they did not talk business since that's forbidden while Stewart is serving time. Her company also said that the final arrangements of this TV deal were done without Martha Stewart -- May Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The head of NBC Universal television predicts greatness for Martha Stewart. Zucker spoke to CNN about the domestic diva.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF ZUCKER, PRESIDENT, NBC UNIVERSAL TV GROUP: She's the quintessential American success story who became one of the world's first female billionaires, successful CEOs, who obviously, endured a difficult time and was the height of her game and was taken down at that height. And I think it is going to be one of the great comeback stories of next year, the comeback of Martha Stewart.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Investors are also pumped up about the Martha Stewart deal. Announcement of the TV show prompted a 4 percent jump in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia stock. Only in America.

Up next on DAYBREAK, a laptop should be used on your lap, right? Not so, says one report. We'll bring you all the details.

But first, put your thinking caps on, get your coffee. Drink it. I need some. Here's your history trivia question for the morning. What famous couple announced they were separating on this day in 1992?

Whew. We'll give you the answer after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Our trivia history question of the morning is: What famous couple announced they were separating on this day in 1992?

The answer, I can't believe you didn't get this one, Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

British Prime Minister John Major announces the formal separate of the royal couple on this day back in 1992.

And in "Health Headlines" this morning, researchers in Boston say the drug Excellon (ph) prescribed for Alzheimer's patients may also help people who develop dementia from Parkinson's disease. Excellon is prescribed to restore memory in Alzheimer's patients.

And expert in Britain is warning teenage boys and young men to keep their laptop computers off their laps. He says laptops can achieve high internal operating temperatures and that could adversely affect a man's fertility.

Some researchers in the U.S. and Britain say a new type of breast cancer drug is superior to the old standard Tamoxafin (ph), but other experts say the new aromatase inhibitors work for only half of all women with breast cancer. The tests and the debate continues.

The Christmas tree is up, it is snowing outside, and the stage is set for a heart attack. More people are prone to suffer a heart attack during the holidays than any other time of the year. CNN Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen takes a look at why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What do all of these things have in common? Shoveling snow, the holidays, the flu, and cold weather? The answer: They're all reasons why heart attacks are more likely to occur in the wintertime.

In fact, heart attacks are 53 percent more likely in the winter and a winter heart attack is 19 percent more likely to be deadly.

One of the reasons behind winter heart attacks is obvious. Shoveling snow puts a strain on the heart if you're not used to that much exercise. The holidays contribute to heart attacks because of higher levels of stress.

DR. KAROL WATSON, UCLA MEDICAL CENTER: Many studies have shown that people have an increase level of stress and an increased level of depression around the holidays. Both of which, we know, can precipitate a heart disease.

COHEN: Plus, there is holiday eating. Studies show that even just one meal high in saturated fat...

WATSON: That extra piece of cheesecake, an extra glass of egg nog...

COHEN: ...can increase your odds of having a heart attack. As for the flu...

WATSON: Even though you feel like you only have the flu in your chest, or in your nose, or your head, the vessels all over your body can become inflamed from that one disease.

COHEN: And inflammation of the vessels leading to the heart can help cause a heart attack. And cold weather can cause vessels to narrow, another heart attack trigger. So, while you can't avoid winter altogether, if you are at a high risk of having a heart attack, you can dress warmly, watch what you eat, get a flu shot, and if you're not up to it, get someone else to shovel that snow -- Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: For more on this or any other health story head to our web site, the address, CNN.com/health.

Coming up in the next hour of DAYBREAK, fans and players charged in the basket brawl. We will bring you the legal fallout from the NBA fight. And forget about color and sizes, our Ali Velshi will be here with the best ways to give cash, cold hard cash, this Christmas. You stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The Virgin Mary a Spice Girl? Mmm, a Nativity Scene is causing quite a stir, especially among Christian leaders. Paula Hancocks tells us what all the fuss is about.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It is a cost that any director would pay thousands for, footballer David Beckham and his singer wife, Victoria, as Joseph & Mary. And the Three Wise Men from the East, actually include two leaders from the West, George Bush and Tony Blair, as well as the husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth.

DIANE MOORE, MADAME TUSSAUD'S: I'm assuming that people are voting tongue in check, because they've all been accused of saying some rather unwise things in the past. But I think it is very funny.

HANCOCKS: Australian pop star Carly Manogue (ph) hovers above the scene as an angel. Madame Tussaud's says the display was meant as an amusing way to bring the nativity to a wider audience.

(on camera): Madame Tussaud's may have stopped short of putting an actual baby Beckham in the crib as Jesus, but not everyone is impressed by this star-studded Nativity Scene. Some church leaders have described it as cheap and in very bad taste.

(voice over): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) from Anglicans, the Vatican, a few of the visitors.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My own opinion, I don't like it. I think its in bad taste.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it would have been better just to choose people who were more religious as themselves, and I'm (UNINTELLIGIBLE). People who have more of a neutral approach.

HANCOCKS: Making a mockery out of the Nativity or bringing the birth of Christ to a godless society? Madame Tussaud's may take comfort from the words of Oscar Wilde, there is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: So, it has been a very mixed reaction here, Carol, to the display of the Nativity at Madame Tussaud's. We have got condemnation on one side from the church leaders. A very interesting response of wary resignation from the spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rone Willams (ph), saying simply: There is a tradition of each generation trying to reinterpret the Nativity. But oh, dear.

And also it has sparked a tremendous amount of media interest as you can imagine. It has sparked a debate in "The Sun" tabloid here in London. Saying, "So is this really the most offensive image in Britain?" And "The Sun" goes on to point out that maybe this is political and religious corruptness gone mad.

Pointing out that the Nativity and the word "Christmas" has been banned from certain areas. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) bosses in Luton, just north of London, have renamed their Christmas lights as "luminos" to avoid upsetting minorities. And also bosses at a certain library have banned posters advertising a carol service in the library itself in case it does offend other religions.

So, there is a lot of debate on the back of this as whether this is just religious gone mad, but certainly some of the church leaders have been very angry about it.

A spokesman for the Presbyterian Church, here in London, saying the display should be shut down immediately, Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. But the museum is standing firm? It is going to keep the scene up?

HANCOCKS: Well, the spokesperson I spoke to on Wednesday did say that it was tongue in cheek. She didn't understand what the fuss was about. She did apologize that there have been certain elements that have been very offended by it. She didn't believe that the display would be taken down, but there are other people that are saying that it does have to be, so that there won't be more church leaders who are offended. It really has been quite a dramatic response to what was just a Nativity scene and what they say was just tongue in cheek.

COSTELLO: Paula Hancocks, thank you.

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