parmalee tour bus shooting

After Parmalee's shoot-out with robbers 10 years ago, the drummer made a surprise gesture

Doctors said drummer scott thomas only had a 5% chance of surviving, but thomas made his most healing move in a courtroom about eight months after getting out of the hospital.

The moment he saw a pistol pointed at his brother’s head, Scott Thomas knew he’d be in a gunfight.

“It wasn’t any thinking,” he said in his soft drawl. “It wasn’t any choice.”

After hearing his brother call for help, Thomas grabbed his 9 mm gun and put it behind his back. He walked carefully toward the front of the RV with his other hand raised in surrender.

“Give me the f…in’ money!” one of two robbers yelled at the brothers, firing a bullet into the floor for emphasis.

“That,” Thomas’ brother, Matt, said, “is when it all went to s….”

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More than a dozen shots exploded in seconds as a thick, foul smoke filled the RV.

After both guns were emptied, one robber slumped over dead on steps near the RV’s door. The other robber ran about 10 yards and collapsed from bullet wounds.

Scott Thomas grabbed his stomach and fell onto the RV’s couch with three bullets in him. The last thing he remembers before passing out is a policeman shining a light in his eyes.

“They got me,” Scott Thomas told the officer. “Just don’t let me die.”

Thomas and the second robber survived. Scott Thomas’ little brother, Matt, not hit by the bullets, couldn't hear for the next 90 minutes.

But the Thomas brothers — both members of country band Parmalee — still carry emotional scars from the shootings 10 years later.

Before that trauma Sept. 20, 2010, outside a small music club in Rock Hill, S.C., Scott and Matt Thomas were carefree, fun loving and wide open.

Now, the brothers look over their shoulders. A lot.

“You hope it won’t happen again,” Scott Thomas said. “Now you’re just a little more watchful where you’re going.”

Thomas shook his head slowly.

“We used to be more free-spirited.”

Playing for beer and barbecue

The boys got their first guitars in their early teens, gifts from their musician daddy, Jerry Thomas, an R&B/rock 'n' roll frontman who regularly performed in and around Greeneville, N.C.

Matt Thomas stuck with guitar. His older brother, Scott, started playing drums. In high school, they formed a cover band called Early Timez, a wordplay on a brand of popular Kentucky whiskey.

They played teen nights at local clubs and back porch parties where the boys were paid in beer and barbecue.

Through the 1990s, the brothers started playing gigs with their dad’s band, but he suggested they go do their own thing.

The brothers added their cousin Barry Knox on bass and childhood friend Josh McSwain on guitar and called their band Parmalee after the small North Carolina town of Parmele where they once rehearsed in a barn.

That launched about nine years of stops and starts, trips to Los Angeles, Nashville and Atlanta, maxed-out credit cards, flirtations with major producers and labels, broken promises, thousands of club gigs and even a few recording sessions with Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx.

Matt and Scott Thomas worked logging and other odd jobs to keep their music dreams alive.

Then a song of theirs called Carolina blew up online, getting more than a million listens on the site MySpace. Fans started singing along to that song during gigs.

That helped the band book an opening spot for Sept. 22, 2010, in a Raleigh, N.C., club for a red-hot newcomer named Brantley Gilbert.

The guys decided to play a warm-up gig two nights before at a small club called The Money in nearby Rock Hill, S.C.

About 20 people showed up for Parmalee’s gig at The Money, and after the band paid the club’s sound guy, they were left with $15. Matt and Scott Thomas headed to the RV while their two bandmates continued to break down equipment.

'...he was drunk'

That same night, Demorrio DeMarcus “Man” Burris and Dytavus Laquan Hinton, both 22, were drinking and smoking marijuana near The Money, according to North Carolina police and media reports.

Burris and Hinton joined some friends at the McDonald’s across the street from the club, and one of those friends, Broderick Page, said Burris brought up the idea of robbing people, Page later told Rock Hill police.

“Burris started talking robbing everyone in the Money; Page told him to stop talking because he was drunk,” Detective Phil Tripp wrote in a report.

Hinton said he had a .380-caliber pistol in the glove box of his PT Cruiser. When he noticed Burris had drifted away from the group, Hinton checked his car and saw his pistol was gone, Hinton told police.

That’s when he saw Burris by Parmalee’s RV parked outside the club.

Burris and Hinton covered their faces, one with a bandanna, the other with his shirt, and Burris knocked on the RV door, police reports show.

'I didn't have a choice'

It a regular knock. “Not a beat-the-door-down knock,” Matt Thomas said. “I thought it was Barry or Josh.”

He felt the gun barrel on his head right away.

“Where’s the cash? Give me the cash!” Burris said, Hinton right behind him.

“We don’t have any,” a shaken Matt Thomas said. “Scott, I need some help.”

His brother, in the back, grabbed his handgun.

“I remember a guy pointing a gun at my brother, and it was like, this was on,” Scott Thomas said. “I was scared we were all going to get shot because we didn’t have any cash, and he already shot once.

“I knew I didn’t have a choice.”

As Scott Thomas slowly came to the front holding the gun behind his back, he thought the second robber might have a gun, too. So he planned on blasting them both. And he did.

When Scott Thomas got close, he fired all seven rounds in his gun, while Burris returned fire. 

It was done in 10 seconds. A policeman rushed over from the McDonald’s next door and immediately called for help, records show.

Scott Thomas was shot in the chest, stomach and butt. One bullet nicked an artery near his stomach.

Matt Thomas, adrenaline subsiding, seethed: “They shot my damn brother.”

Forgiveness

Scott Thomas arrived at the hospital in a coma. Doctors offered a bleak outlook at first, telling the family there only was a 5% chance of survival.

About 10 days later, he regained consciousness, and nurses removed the breathing tube from his throat.

The first thing Scott Thomas said: “We’re not playing any more sh...y clubs.”

Relieved family members laughed loudly.

Thomas stayed in the hospital for another month. Fans and friends sent thousands of online messages, cards, gifts and well wishes to the hospital, as Thomas underwent three surgeries and painful physical therapy to teach him how to walk again.

Hinton, the surviving robber, at first was charged with murder since someone had died during commission of a felony.

But he accepted a plea deal nine months later in which the murder charge was dropped in exchange for him agreeing to serve 20 years in prison with no possibility of parole.

Hinton, who had no prior criminal history, pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery, attempted murder, conspiracy and burglary. He remains in prison, according to South Carolina Department of Corrections records.

On the day of the sentencing, Matt Thomas choked back tears as he testified about the effects of the shoot out on him and his brother.

“He's scarred. He and I both, mentally. Can’t sleep. Can’t go out without feeling that I’m going to be attacked by somebody,” Matt Thomas told the judge.

“We almost lost him.”

Scott Thomas declined to testify that day, but he did something in the courtroom that proved to be as healing as anything else he has done for his recovery.

“I knew that day if I didn’t let it go that day, it would eat me up,” he said.

As everyone left the courtroom in a somber mood, Scott Thomas said he walked alongside Hinton’s mother.

“I’m sorry all this happened,” he told her.

“I was going to tell you, I forgive your son,” he said. “No hard feelings.”

And he remembered that he and Hinton’s mother hugged.

A police officer pulled Scott Thomas aside afterward.

“I’ve never seen anything like that in the history of this court,” the officer said.

Reach Brad Schmitt at [email protected] or 615-259-8384 or on Twitter @bradschmitt.

Parmalee Revisits Near-Death Incident In 'Surreal' Autobiographical Video

Photo : Alysse Gafkjen

Parmalee revisited a chilling experience in the band’s autobiographical music video for their new single, “Gonna Love You.” The powerful visual recreates an incident that took place more than a decade ago that left the group’s drummer with a 5% chance of survival.

The “Carolina” group opened up about a robbery following a show in South Carolina on September 21, 2010. Brothers and bandmates Matt Thomas and Scott Thomas were in their RV who two robbers confronted them the vehicle and demanded cash. The robbery escalated to gunfire, and Scott, Parmalee’s drummer, was shot three times while fending off the robbers, according to a press release issued Monday (November 27). Scott spent 40 days in the hospital — including 10 days in a coma — recovering from the incident, and was given a small chance of living.

“Miraculously,” however, the release states that Parmalee returned to the stage four months after the incident.

“We felt like this was the right song and the right time to tell this story,” Scott said in a statement. “It was emotional and surreal for all of us to relive that experience, but we knew it was time.

“We couldn’t believe how many people came together to help us,” he continud. “We would’ve never made it through had it not been for our fans, families, friends, and all the bands and musicians who came together to help us out! We didn’t even ask, they just did it!”

Parmalee’s “ Gonna Love You ” music video ends with text displayed over the footage that reads: “That night, the doctors told Matt, Barry & Josh that Scott [bandmates Matt Thomas, bandmate and cousin Barry Knox and Josh McSwain ] had a 5% chance of loving. Scott spent ten days in a coma, had 3 life saving surgeries and spent 40 days in the hospital with the band by his side. Four months later Parmalee made it back to Nashville and got a record deal.”

Parmalee’s Survivor Story: Band Members Share Harrowing Details of Near-Fatal Shooting in New Video Release

Carl Nightbridge

December 1, 2023

Parmalee, a country music group with several No. 1 hits to their credit, including “Carolina” and “Girl In Mine,” has recently shared a deeply personal and harrowing story that took place early in their career. The band’s drummer, Scott Thomas, was involved in a near-fatal shooting during an attempted bus robbery, an event that they had kept private until now.

The band decided to release their new song “Gonna Love You” and its accompanying video, which depicts the terrifying incident. The song is the first radio single that they feel naturally fits the somber tale, as they typically release happy, up-tempo music. This is their way of sharing their story with the world.

During the robbery, Scott Thomas managed to defend himself and his bandmates, killing one assailant, injuring another, and getting shot himself. The incident took place just months before their Nashville showcase, a pivotal moment in their music career.

Following the shooting, Scott faced a grueling recovery process. He was airlifted to a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, and spent 40 days there. The drummer had to endure surgery and learn how to walk again, facing a slim chance of survival. Nevertheless, he persevered and made a remarkable comeback, eventually playing a showcase with Parmalee for Broken Bow Records, who signed them immediately.

The band’s new album “For You 2” features the single “Gonna Love You” and tells the story of their journey, including the triumphant return to the stage after such a traumatic event. Parmalee has become one of country music’s most consistent hitmakers, accumulating more than 1 billion on-demand streams and achieving multiple No. 1 hits throughout their career.

The group, comprised of brothers Matt Thomas (guitar/lead vocals) and Scott Thomas (drums), along with their cousin Barry Knox (bass) and life-long friend Josh McSwain (guitar), has overcome significant challenges and remained dedicated to their music, inspiring fans with their resilience and determination.

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Parmalee on reliving shooting incident for music video: "It really took a lot out of us"

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Parmalee  didn't set out to revisit their horrifying shooting incident when writing  "Gonna Love You."  But as the creative process unfolded, the band felt it was the right time to share their story.  "[We thought] 'Gonna Love You' is just all about love and unconditional love. That person, [your] ride or die, that one," Parmalee's  Matt Thomas  tells ABC Audio. "We're doing the song and we're starting to talk about the video and we're just going through ideas and all of a sudden it clicked. It's like, 'OK, we have it. This is how to tell our story about what we went through in 2010.'"

Perhaps unbeknownst to new fans, Parmalee was involved in an attempted armed robbery years back that left their drummer,  Scott Thomas , wounded from three gunshots and with a 5% chance of living. "It wasn't intentional at all to write the song about that. It had nothing to do with it. It was just a global love song," Matt explains. "But when we thought about the story and then we did the video, it's a whole different thing." "We're excited for everybody to see that. It really took a lot out of us," he adds of the autobiographical video treatment. "I mean, it's pretty emotional, but we got a lot off our chest."

"Gonna Love You" is currently in the top 40 of the country charts. It's the latest single off  For You 2 , which is the deluxe version of 2021's  For You .

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Parmalee on reliving shooting incident for music video: “It really took a lot out of us”

Parmalee  didn’t set out to revisit their horrifying shooting incident when writing  “Gonna Love You.”  But as the creative process unfolded, the band felt it was the right time to share their story. 

“[We thought] ‘Gonna Love You’ is just all about love and unconditional love. That person, [your] ride or die, that one,” Parmalee’s  Matt Thomas  tells ABC Audio. “We’re doing the song and we’re starting to talk about the video and we’re just going through ideas and all of a sudden it clicked. It’s like, ‘OK, we have it. This is how to tell our story about what we went through in 2010.'”

Perhaps unbeknownst to new fans, Parmalee was involved in an attempted armed robbery years back that left their drummer,  Scott Thomas , wounded from three gunshots and with a 5% chance of living.

“It wasn’t intentional at all to write the song about that. It had nothing to do with it. It was just a global love song,” Matt explains. “But when we thought about the story and then we did the video, it’s a whole different thing.”

“We’re excited for everybody to see that. It really took a lot out of us,” he adds of the autobiographical video treatment. “I mean, it’s pretty emotional, but we got a lot off our chest.”

“Gonna Love You” is currently in the top 40 of the country charts. It’s the latest single off  For You 2 , which is the deluxe version of 2021’s  For You .

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Parmalee Drops Deluxe Album After 13th Anniversary of Shooting Incident: 'It Really Means a Lot' (Exclusive)

"I always celebrate my second birthday on the 21st of September," says band member Scott Thomas, who was critically injured during an armed robbery back in 2010

Country band Parmalee , comprised of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas , cousin Barry Knox and life-long friend Josh McSwain, are feeling extra grateful these days. 

The group — famous for No. 1 hits like “Carolina” and “Take My Name” — dropped their deluxe album For You 2 on Sept. 22, and the release is more meaningful than they could’ve imagined. 

“I always celebrate my second birthday on the 21st of September, since the incident,” says Scott, who was critically injured after being shot during an armed robbery back in 2010. “I had a 5% chance of living. These guys didn't know if I was going to live or die,” he adds of his bandmates. 

Alysse Gafkjen

Scott’s brother Matt still recalls the shooting with great detail. 

“We were playing a club show on a Monday night, and two guys tried to rob us on our RV afterwards at gunpoint. [Scott was] shot three times. We had to go to the hospital that night. It was horrible,” he says. 

The “craziest part,” the brothers add, was that the band was simultaneously on the verge of a record deal. 

“It was about to happen and then just the train comes off the tracks,” says Matt. “Scott’s about to die, and all we could focus on was just getting him better because we had to go back to Nashville.” 

The band also credits their fans, friends and family for helping them get through such a challenging period both emotionally and financially. 

“They all raised money for us. Local bands, people in concerts so we could have a little money in the bank to pay the credit card bills we owed and to pay his hospital bills and get back and forth and that kind of stuff,” says Matt. 

In fact, getting support from family is something that the band has been fortunate enough to have since the very beginning — Matt and Scott’s mom took out a second mortgage on her home to help Parmalee pay for the first recording of “Carolina.”

Courtesy Parmalee

“She's always supported us. She raised us as a single mom for a long time, but she just did everything. I'm sure the other ladies in the community thought she was crazy because we just couldn't get it going and couldn't make it,” recalls Matt. “We finally did.”

With the release of For You 2 , and the band’s latest single “Girl in Mine” on its way to becoming their fourth No. 1 hit, the group is elated that they get to continue pursuing every day. They're currently on tour with Train , and in 2024, they'll hit the road with Kane Brown .

“We all have the desire to not go back to our old day jobs,” explains Barry Knox. 

Adds Josh McSwain: “We're just trying to play music for a living. That's what we're happy doing, so that's just what keeps us going.”

“We all worked $10 an hour jobs doing construction, working in logging woods, repoing furniture, just to keep this band going,” says Matt. “There's not a day that I can go by and see the gas station where the guys are loading up the truck, they've been working on a construction job, and I know they're working hard and it's hot. And I'm like, ‘Man, I’m so thankful to be able to just play music.’” 

Never miss a story — sign up for   PEOPLE 's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

For Scott, the sentiment rings true, and it remains that much more special. 

“I was talking to management, everybody's like, ‘You realize that when the album comes out, it's kind of like a birthday present,'" he says with a small laugh. "So, it really means a lot for this new album and the new songs to be coming out on the 22nd.” 

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Parmalee Survives Near Fatal Shooting To Launch Career, Notch Most Heard Song of 2022 and Release New Album "For You 2"

(Photo by Katherine Bomboy/NBC via Getty Images)

Parmalee 's Matt Thomas heard someone knock on the RV's door. It was late at night in 2010, and the band had just finished a show in a bar where they made less than $50. Members wished the paycheck had been bigger, but they had just added a new song, "Carolina," to their set that they were confident would be their breakthrough hit. Parmalee was playing a string of shows to tighten their performance before they left North Carolina to showcase for record labels in Nashville.

When Thomas heard the knock on the door, he hoped the bar owner had made a mistake with their paycheck and was circling back to give them the rest of their money. When he opened the door, two men wearing bandanas pointed a gun at his head.

"They stepped into the RV screaming, 'Give me the cash,'" Matt said. "I said, 'I don't have any cash. I don't have any cash.'"

The robber fired his gun in the RV. Matt shouted for his brother Scott, the band's drummer, who had his carry permit and his pistol tucked under his bunk.

"I walked up to him, and a gunfight ensued," Scott said. "He was shooting at me, and then I was shooting, trying to get both guys."

Scott killed one of the masked men but was shot in the stomach, the chest, and through an artery. Matt miraculously escaped unscathed.  

"So here we are at the highest point of our career, just thinking we're going to get a record deal," Scott said.

"Then this all happens in a flash, and he's on the couch bleeding out," Matt added.

This week, Parmalee's "Girl In Mine" became the band's fourth No. 1 song. The chart-topper is from the band's new album "For You 2," which, at 18 songs deep, is the deluxe version of the band's third studio project, "For You," released in 2021.

The group - comprised of brothers Matt Thomas (guitar/lead vocals) and Scott Thomas (drums), along with their cousin Barry Knox (bass) and life-long friend Josh McSwain (guitar) - has accumulated more than 1 billion on-demand streams and No. 1 hits including their breakthrough hit "Carolina," the Blanco Brown collaboration "Just The Way" and "Take My Name" in addition to "Girl In Mine." "Carolina" was their first. All but "Carolina" are on "For You 2."

Matt co-wrote 17 of the 18 songs on the album. But getting to this point was truly a fight for their lives – especially Scott's.

Following the shooting, Scott was airlifted to a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the middle of the night. He received two blood transfusions in transit, and when his bandmates arrived at the hospital, they were told Scott had a five percent chance of survival. The drummer was in a coma for 10 days and endured surgery on the leg he uses for the kick drum to save it from amputation.

"It was pins and needles for 40 days," Matt said. "He shot both the other guys, killed one guy, and the other guy is in prison."

Scott was in the hospital for 40 days and had to learn how to walk again. Five months later, he hobbled on stage to play a showcase with Parmalee for Broken Bow Records – who signed them immediately.

"I mean, it's the end of the world," Scott said. "We're never going to play again. I might not be able to walk again. I might not even live. So that just tells you how things can turn around."

They added: "That is our story. That's the story you're hearing -- what we've been through and sticking it out. Same four guys, too, not nobody else in the band."

The men attribute their longevity to a decade spent playing together with no measurable success. They learned who each other truly was, so they knew who they were standing beside when their dreams became reality in Nashville.

Getting to this point took the near-death experience, a second mortgage on the Thomas brothers' childhood home, and 25 years of grinding it out together. Parmalee formed in 1998, worked day jobs, and toured on the weekends until they signed with Broken Bow Records in 2011.

"We'd play on the weekends, and then we go to work," Knox said. "We just loved to play. We still love to play. We loved to tour. We just loved the live connection. Our dream was just to play music for a living. So, anything more than that is a bonus."

In 2022, the bonus was substantial. Parmalee's hit "Take My Name" was Billboard's Most Played Country Song of the year. The band recently wrapped a 19-city tour with Train, is currently playing their own shows and will be on the road with Kane Brown on his In The Air Tour in 2024.

New songs on "For You 2" include "Boyfriend" and "Gonna Love You," which were thoughtfully chosen to continue the band's strong relationship with country radio and Parmalee fans.

"Boyfriend" is a catchy contemporary promise to treat his love interest better than her current partner.

Lyrics include: "I don't know his name or what the hell he's waiting on, but if I was your boyfriend, I wouldn't be your boyfriend long."

"Gonna Love You" continues the story down the aisle, promising undying commitment reminiscent of some of country music's most celebrated love songs. The production coils and swells, adding drama and emotion to this undeniable serenade that is destined to be a staple wedding song for years to come.

Parmalee tested the new songs on stage before adding them to "For You 2." Because now, just as it was when they started performing together 25 years ago, playing music is what makes them the happiest.

"For 15 years, we just rode around with a band trailer, just dreaming and just having a good time like a bunch of idiots just trying to figure it out," Matt said. "Now we're doing it."

"For You 2" tracklist:

1.“For You” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Justin Wilson)

2. “Just The Way” – (Matt Thomas, Kevin Bard, Nolan Sipe)

3. “Backroad Girl” – (Matt Thomas, Tommy Cecil, Blake Bollinger, Brinley Addington)

4. “Take My Name” – (Matt Thomas, Ashley Gorely, David Fanning, Ben Johnson)

5. “I Do” – (Tyler Hubbard, Matt Thomas, Corey Crowder, David Fanning)

6. “Miss You” – (Michael Tyler, Matthew McGinn, David Fanning)

7. “Greatest Hits (feat. Fitz)” – (Matt Thomas, Kevin Bard, Nolan Sipe, Andrew Goldstein, Michael Fitzpatrick)

8. “Better With You” – (Matt Thomas, Ashley Gorely, David Fanning)

9. “Forget You – (feat. Avery Anna)” (Matt Thomas, Shane Minor, David Fanning, Thomas Archer)

10. “Alone Like That” – (Matt Thomas, Tommy Cecil, David Fanning, James McNair)

11. “I See You” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Justin Wilson, Steven McMorran)

12. “I’ll Take The Chevy” – (Matt Thomas, Josh McSwain, Barry Knox, Zachary Kale, James McNair, Josh Mirenda)

13. “For You”– (Matt Thomas, Barry Knox, Josh McSwain, Scott Thomas, David Fanning)

*14. “Girl In Mine” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Ashley Gorley, Casey Brown, Travis Wood)

*15. “Gonna Love You” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Abram Dean, Andy Sheridan)

*16. “Is It Just Me” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson)

*17. “Boyfriend” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps)

*18. “Wish You Never Loved Me” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Ashley Gorley, Andy Sheridan)

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Parmalee Official

Parmalee releases powerful video for “gonna love you”.

Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen

NASHVILLE, TN (Nov. 27, 2023) – Multi-platinum group Parmalee follows the release of their new single “Gonna Love You” with the powerful and autobiographical music video that recreates the night they were victims of an attempted robbery which left their drummer with a 5% chance of living.

Following a show in SC, brothers Matt and Scott Thomas were in their RV when two robbers entered the vehicle demanding cash. Soon after, a gunfight broke out, and though Scott fended off both intruders, he was shot three times. He was airlifted to a hospital where he spent 40 days, 10 in a coma, recovering from his injuries.

“We felt like this was the right song and the right time to tell this story,” said Scott. “It was emotional and surreal for all of us to relive that experience, but we knew it was time.”

Miraculously, just 4 months after the incident, the band took the stage for the first time since the shooting occurred. That night, they secured a record deal they had been working on for years. “We couldn’t believe how many people came together to help us. We would’ve never made it through had it not been for our fans, families, friends, and all the bands and musicians who came together to help us out! We didn’t even ask, they just did it!”

“Gonna Love You,” follows their most recent #1 single, “Girl In Mine.” With four 4 # 1 radio singles and three consecutive in as many years, Stoney Creek Records’ Parmalee has now scored more #1’s than any other band or group in country music during that time.

“Girl In Mine,” was the follow-up to their #1 record-setting, “Take My Name,” which was Billboard’s Most Played Country Song of 2022, and the #1 Platinum hit, “Just The Way” with Blanco Brown. The band first topped the charts with a song inspired by their home state, “Carolina.”

The band closes out the year with a handful of shows in December and will soon turn their attention to 2024’s “In The Air” Tour with Kane Brown.

New Parmalee Video Shares Story of Shooting That Almost Claimed Drummer

Parmalee  just put out a dramatic video for their new song  "Gonna Love You" . In it, drummer  Scott Thomas  is shown being rushed to the hospital after being shot. And he's actually playing . . . HIMSELF.

The video notes that this is a "true story," and if you're a fan, you may know it.

Back in 2010, Parmalee was robbed at gunpoint while they were in their trailer after a show. During the chaos, Scott was  shot  three times and was in a coma for 10 days. He eventually recovered, and has been with the band ever since. 

But that was definitely in doubt after the shooting. At the end of the video, the band put a message that said the doctors gave Scott a 5% chance of living, and he required three "life-saving surgeries and spent 40 days in the hospital."

The band says this was just the right time to delve into the story.

 Here's the video...

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Parmalee: Charlotte 'still feels like home' after shooting, hospital stay 5 years ago

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Making it to the top of billboard charts can be a long road. Rock/Country band Parmalee, who sings the hit "Carolina," says the song was written in 2007, but it took quite some time for it to be played on the radio. One band member had a near-death experience in 2010.

Parmalee they took to the stage at Speed Street in uptown Charlotte Friday night. The band, made up of Matt and Scott Thomas, Josh McSwain and Barry Knox, said they've played venues like this when they were the small opening act at the other stage. So it feels great to be home, and to be the headliner.

Parmalee is from Parmale, a small town north of Greenville, North Carolina.

"So many years on the road from Greenville, to Raleigh to Charlotte to Greenville, South Carolina - we burned these roads up. This feels like home," Knox said.

Backstage at Speed Street the band talked to WBTV about 2007, when they had already written "Carolina," their first big hit. But it took some time for it make it to number one.

"Wow, it's funny thinking about all the little shows we played around here," Matt Thomas said.

Charlotte is home for another reason.

"Scott was in Charlotte's medical center right at 30 days, I think," Thomas said, pointing to his brother behind him.

In September 2010, drummer Scott Thomas was injured in a shootout at the Money in Rock Hill during an armed robbery. Scott defended his brother Matt and shot back with a gun he had in the band's RV. He was hit three times and nearly bled to death. He was in a coma for 10 days.

The band didn't talk about the shooter who died or Dytavis Hinton, who will be in jail until September 2027.

"You're never anywhere alone like we were that night. You always have someone with you," Thomas said.

They've learned from the experience, and still love Charlotte.

"It's home, we love it. It's always going to be home. I think as time goes by, it's a little easier. First year or two it was a little tough," Thomas said.

They now have more security, and top ten hits. They love playing the big stage.

"Everybody goes through their own path. There's no way you can, everybody has their own story. It's nobody's fault, it took us the hard way," Thomas said.

Now that they've arrived, they're thankful and happy to make the Carolinas proud.

"You can't work much harder than this," McSwain said.

Even though they've made it, they won't be taking in the Coca Cola 600, they'll be on the road for their next gigs. On Tuesday they'll be back in Nashville recording new music for their fans.

Copyright 2015 WBTV. All rights reserved.

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Parmalee is an American country music band which formed in 2001 and currently consists of brothers Matt Thomas and Scott Thomas, Barry Knox and Josh McSwain.

Originally gaining their musical influence from their father, Matt and Scott performed with Jerry Thomas in a band. However after their father decided to retire from music, the boys had to look elsewhere to pursue their musical goals. They soon started Parmalee with their cousin Josh McSwain and a childhood friend Josh McSwain.

They gained the attention of David Bendeth from RCA Records who heard their first EP 'Daylight'. The record label was impressed and invited the band to record their debut album 'Inside' with them, Parmalee then spent almost two years afterwards touring and promoting the release. Another EP entitled 'Complicated' was released in 2008 and the band once again took to the road to test drive the new material. In 2010 the band were involved in a fatal shooting incident after performing in South Carolina. A suspect boarded their tour bus with a hand gun and demanded money from the band. Scott Thomas threatened them with his own gun and the assailant opened fire, shooting Scott in the leg, shoulder and stomach which ended up putting him in a coma for ten days.

It wasn't until 2011 that Scott was fit enough to begin drumming again full time. In 2013 they released their most successful album to date 'Feels Like Carolina' which peaked at #10 on the US Country charts. The single 'Carolina' that was taken from the album remains their biggest success to date, it has charted at #2 on the Country charts and #36 on the US Singles chart.

Live reviews

I don't care what other people say about country music; I love it, and Parmalee is a big reason for my deep love and appreciation for this very under-appreciated and often maligned genre. One thing I love about the band Parmalee is that there's so much camaraderie and common ground between all of the bandmates and each other. This is because they all grew up together, and I really think that this sort of childhood bond ends up making their live performances even better than other country groups.

Brothers Scott and Matt Thomas always do I great job of staying in sync with each other while performing, and Barry, their cousin, and Josh, their friend, do nothing but add to this strong sense of unity and familiarity on stage. This, in my opinion, translates to deeper, more meaningful performances of songs like "Carolina" and "Already Calling You Mine."

You can just tell when watching Parmalee perform that they're up on stage doing what they love and have always wanted to do, and it really makes for an engaging concert. I've also always appreciated the familial nature of the fans as well. I've seen first-timers at Parmalee concerts immediately welcomed by repeat viewers, and I just love that their fanbase is a community that accepts and doesn't ostracize fans, like I think other bands have problems with.

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Country music has been a genre historically associated with successful solo artists yet every now and again a band appears who prove the theory sometimes more is best. The family affair Parmalee consisting of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas along with their cousin Barry Knox and childhood friend John McSwain have been recording and performing together since 2001.

Their rapport is unlike any other as they simply gel together so well onstage. It is partly due to the family ties and partly due to their complete adoration and excitement to be able to tour around the globe as a unit. The loyal and enthusiastic fanbase also helps with energy levels as they sing, stomp and cheer along with the band under the command of Matt. They were not always a commercial hit so the new material is definitely received better and the boys make the wise decision to finish on their most successful single so far, 'Carolina'. The group is at the height of their career and have a number of exciting revenues they could possibly explore next.

Honestly it was over all a good show not very many seats though. The price was very reasonable and the drinks were amazing. My favorite song they sang was Roots and the person the had open for them was amazing too

The show was amazing....the only downfall was that it was too short!! They included/encouraged crowd participation. I will definitely be going to see them again and can't wait until they play at CCMF in June!

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Parmalee is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 27 concerts across 1 country in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

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After a fatal shooting, old friends rally for Parmalee

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Scott Thomas benefits at Lincoln Theatre Saturday, Nov. 27, 7:30 p.m.: Untold, Colourslide, 5 Gallon Pale and Katelyn Clampett. $10 minimum donation. Sunday, Nov. 28, 3 p.m.: The Stegmonds, Willie Painter Band, Big Mama E and the Cool, Purple School Bus and Allison King Band. $10 minimum donation.

When Parmalee singer Matt Thomas heard a knock on the door of his RV, he assumed it was only one of his bandmates. Parmalee, the group he fronts with his younger brother Scott and two longtime friends, had just played in Rock Hill, S.C. They were stowing their gear, preparing to travel to another tour stop. But when Matt opened the door, he didn’t find his fellow players.

Instead, two men burst in and attempted to rob him. One was armed. Scott emerged from the rear with his own handgun, demanding that the robbers leave. The gunfight that followed left Scott and one assailant injured, the other dead. Scott Thomas was shot three times early in the morning of Sept. 21; he’s not the only one who’s had to heal.

“We’re getting better every day,” says Matt Thomas when asked how his brother is doing. “We’re progressing. We’re in a lot better shape than we were a month and a half ago.”

For Parmalee, that “we” is important. They’ve been a band since 2001. Scott’s recovery has been tedious, and it continues to hit the band and its supporters hard. Recently released from Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, Scott endured four major surgeries. He’s recuperating now outside of Greenville. Scott had health insurance, but the bills have piled up to over $500,000more than his insurance will cover. The band can’t make money if it can’t play. Between medical expenses and the members’ regular cost of living, the need for help is immediate.

Luckily, support has been generous: Benefits have already been held in Greenville, Greensboro, Charlotte and once before in Raleigh. This weekend, at least nine bands will play two shows at Raleigh’s Lincoln Theatre to raise more money. It’s an incredible display of support that Mike Edwards, an organizer for this weekend’s event and a longtime friend of the Thomas family, attributes to Parmalee’s vast network of relatives and friends.

“Being earnest and working hard at your craft and making friends wherever you go,” he says, “it kind of snowballs.”

For Parmalee, there’s more at work here than people who enjoy their music. Scott and Matt’s late father, Jerry, played with his sons in the Thomas Brothers Band. He was also part of a network of Greenville musician friends who have remained strong with reunions and events since the early ’70s. Beginning with a benefit for Burlington folksinger Kitty West about nine years ago, Edwards and others in this group have often banded together to help those of their kind who hit hard times.

“For a long time, the reunions were just about parties and having fun,” Edwards says, laughing proudly at how their focus has shifted. “It’s just a good way for us to get together and have some fun and raise some money.”

This week’s benefit is an extension of that camaraderie. Sunday’s bill includes Americana acts ripe with connections to Greenville and the Thomas family. Saturday’s lineup is culled from harder rock acts that are contemporaries of Parmalee, themselves a hybrid of Pearl Jam and Lynyrd Skynyrd. There’s a direct connection through headliner Untold. Drummer Jonathan Wilson’s family has been friends with the Thomases for years.

Funds from such shows have kept Parmalee on its feet and given Scott’s friends and family time to be with him. More important, the generosity has made the band believe things can get better.

“It’s allowed us to keep pushing forward and keep him moving on and keep the positive environment,” says Matt of the community connections. “I’m not closer to anybody than I am to him.”

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Parmalee on reliving shooting incident for music video: “It really took a lot out of us”

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Parmalee  didn’t set out to revisit their horrifying shooting incident when writing  “Gonna Love You.”  But as the creative process unfolded, the band felt it was the right time to share their story. 

“[We thought] ‘Gonna Love You’ is just all about love and unconditional love. That person, [your] ride or die, that one,” Parmalee’s  Matt Thomas  tells ABC Audio. “We’re doing the song and we’re starting to talk about the video and we’re just going through ideas and all of a sudden it clicked. It’s like, ‘OK, we have it. This is how to tell our story about what we went through in 2010.'”

Perhaps unbeknownst to new fans, Parmalee was involved in an attempted armed robbery years back that left their drummer,  Scott Thomas , wounded from three gunshots and with a 5% chance of living.

“It wasn’t intentional at all to write the song about that. It had nothing to do with it. It was just a global love song,” Matt explains. “But when we thought about the story and then we did the video, it’s a whole different thing.”

“We’re excited for everybody to see that. It really took a lot out of us,” he adds of the autobiographical video treatment. “I mean, it’s pretty emotional, but we got a lot off our chest.”

“Gonna Love You” is currently in the top 40 of the country charts. It’s the latest single off  For You 2 , which is the deluxe version of 2021’s  For You .

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Family member arrested, charged in DeKalb County fatal shooting

ELLENWOOD, Ga. - DeKalb County police have arrested a suspect in a shooting that took place Saturday afternoon.

Officials responded to the shooting in the 4400 block of Parmalee Path just after 2 p.m.

When they arrived, officials say they found 44-year-old Herold Francois shot to death in front of the home.

Pierre Anderson, 29, was detained at the scene without incident. Police believe he and the victim were related and that the two of them had been involved in some sort of dispute before the shooting.

After interviewing multiple parties involved, police arrested Anderson and charged him with murder. He's being held at the DeKalb County Jail.

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By Heather Chen , Andrew Raine , Catherine Nicholls, Antoinette Radford, Maureen Chowdhury and Kathleen Magramo , CNN

Here's what we know about the four suspects in the Moscow concert hall attack

From CNN’s Masha Angelova and Josh Pennington

Each of the four defendants charged with committing a terrorist act in the Crocus City concert hall attack was brought to court individually in Moscow on Sunday.

They are accused of committing a crime under part 3, provision “b” of article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code (terrorist act), which the Russian Criminal Code states is punishable with up to life imprisonment.

Three pled guilty to all charges, according to state media news agency TASS .

Here's what we know about the accused:

• Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev: The 32-year-old was the first defendant brought to court. Mirzoyev, from Tajikistan, had a temporary registration for three months in the southern Russian city of Novosibirsk in Siberia, but it expired, according to RIA Novosti.
• Saidakrami Rachabalizoda: He appeared as the second defendant, and told the the court that he had Russian registration documents but couldn't remember where they were. He communicated through an interpreter, according to state media RIA Novosti. Rachabalizoda was reportedly born in 1994.
• Shamsidin Fariduni: He was born in 1998 in Tajikistan and is a citizen of the Central Asian country. Fariduni was officially employed at a factory in the Russian city of Podolsk and was registered in the city of Krasnogorsk, according to state media RIA Novosti.
• Muhammadsober Faizov: The fourth defendant appeared nonresponsive in a wheelchair and was accompanied by a doctor to his court appearance, as seen in Moscow City Court’s video shared on Telegram. Faizov was temporarily unemployed, before which he worked in a barber shop in Ivanovo, a city northeast of Moscow, and is registered in that city, according to state media RIA Novosti. He was reportedly born in 2004.

This post has been updated with more information on the charges against the suspects.

Moscow court orders preventive detention for all four defendants in concert hall attack case

The Basmanny District Court of Moscow on Sunday granted the investigators’ motion for detention, as the chosen preventative measure, for all four defendants in the Crocus City Hall attack case.

All four men have been remanded into pre-trial detention until May 22, stated Moscow City Court via Telegram.  

They are all charged with committing a terrorist act, according to the courts of general jurisdiction of the city of Moscow, which under the Russian Criminal Code is punishable up to life imprisonment.

Each of the four defendants was brought to court individually on Sunday.

Three pled guilty to all charges, according to state media news agency TASS. 

The names of the four accused in the case are Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni and Mukhammadsobir Faizov, Moscow City Courts announced via Telegram.

All four are from Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic, and have been in Russia on either temporary or expired visas.  

The court held closed hearings for each of the accused with no members of the public allowed, TASS reported, citing the court’s press service. 

2 defendants identified in Crocus City Hall attack

From CNN’s Masha Angelova, Michael Bodenhorst and Josh Pennington

The first defendant in the Crocus City concert hall attack case, Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, has pleaded guilty on all counts, the press service of Moscow City Court told state media RIA Novosti.

He will be held in preventive custody at least through May 22. 

Mirzoyev is one of two defendants implicated in the attack who are facing possible life imprisonment, as reported by state media.

The suspects — Mirzoyev and Saidakrami Rachabalizoda — appeared in a Moscow court on Sunday on charges related to the attack.

Both individuals are accused of committing a terrorist act and could be sentenced to life imprisonment, according to state media outlet RIA Novosti. The prosecution has requested detention as a precautionary measure for both defendants.

Authorities have petitioned the court to conduct Mirzoyev's hearing behind closed doors to safeguard the integrity of the proceedings, state media news agency TASS reported. 

First suspect apprehended in the Crocus City Hall attack arrives in court

From CNN’s Masha Angelova

The first suspect apprehended after the attack on Crocus City Hall that killed at least 137 people has arrived in court at the Basmanny Court of Moscow. 

Crocus City Hall killings are deadliest since Beslan school siege — these are some other recent attacks in Russia

From CNN Staff

The attack on Moscow's popular Crocus City Hall that left at least 133 dead has become the deadliest attack in Russia since the Beslan school siege in 2004.

Some other recent attacks include:

• September 26, 2022 : Eleven children and four adults were killed when a gunman wearing Nazi symbols opened fire at a school in the western Russian city of Izhevsk. The shooter, who was reportedly wearing a black T-shirt with Nazi insignia and a helmet, died by suicide following the attack.
• April 3, 2017 : At least 11 people were killed in a blast on the St. Petersburg metro. The explosion tore through a train as it was traveling between two stations in Russia’s second-largest city.
• October 31, 2015 : A Russian passenger jet, Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed  on October 31 after departing from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh,  killing all 224 people  on board. US intelligence analysis suggested that ISIS or its affiliates  planted a bomb on the plane .
• December 30, 2013 : A massive explosion at a train station in the Russian city of Volgograd killed at least 16 people, including one police officer, the Investigative Committee of Russia said.
• January 25, 2011 : A suicide bomber attacked Domodedovo Airport , Moscow's busiest airport, killing 35 people and wounding about 100, authorities and state television said.
• March 29, 2010 : Two explosions rocked the subway stations in central  Moscow during rush hour, killing at least 38 people and wounding more than 60 others, spawning widespread public outrage. A website associated with Chechen separatists, who have long fought for independence from Russia, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Rescuers, robotic systems and canine teams are currently on site of Crocus City concert hall

From CNN’s Darya Tarasova and Eve Brennan

More than 300 “specialists” and 154 pieces of equipment are currently on site at the Crocus City concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow region, where a deadly attack took place Friday , Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said on Telegram on Sunday.

The ministry said more than 400 cubic meters of structures had been dismantled by rescuers while specialized robotic systems, canine teams and psychologists from the ministry continue to work.

More than 1,600 calls have already been received on the department’s hotline, the ministry added.

The post was accompanied by a video showing dozens of emergency workers digging through the rubble of the partially burned-down concert hall.

Remember : At least 137 people died on Friday after attackers opened fire on civilians at the Crocus City concert hall, and set the building ablaze. The Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, has claimed the attack and  released graphic footage  purporting to show the incident. 

Putin lit a candle in memory of victims of the concert hall attack

From CNN's Eve Brennan and Anna Chernova

Russian President Vladimir Putin lit a candle Sunday in memory of victims of the deadly attack at the Crocus City concert hall in Moscow region on Friday.

Putin also expressed deep condolences following the Moscow shooting, calling it a "barbaric terrorist act" in a video statement released Saturday.

More background: The deadly attack comes barely a week after Putin secured his fifth presidential term. The large-scale attack is damaging for a leader who portrays himself as someone able to guarantee order.

Death toll in concert hall attack rises to 137 — including 3 children, Russian Investigative Committee says

From CNN's Darya Tarasova 

The Russian Investigative Committee has updated the death toll in the Crocus City attack to 137.

In a statement released online, the committee said "the bodies of 137 people have been found at the site of the terrorist attack, three of which are children."

The committee added that 62 bodies have been identified so far. 

"For the remaining victims, genetic examinations are being carried out to establish their identities," the statement said. "The investigation of the crime scene continues." 

Russian Embassy in US says it did not receive notification of impending terrorist attack

From CNN’s Katya Krebs in Moscow and Eve Brennan in London

The Russian Embassy in Washington says it did not receive any warnings about a potential terror attack in Moscow from the US, Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Sunday.

The US diplomatic mission had warned Americans to “avoid large gatherings” at the beginning of March due to reports “that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow.”

Earlier this week Putin had dismissed those warnings, telling the FSB that the embassy warnings were "provocative" and "outright blackmail."

“We did not receive any notifications or messages in advance,” Antonov told RIA.

“We paid attention to this, but,… I had no contacts with either the White House or the State Department on this issue,” he added.

In light of Friday’s attack at Crocus, Antonov told RIA Novosti that contacts between the US and the Russian Federation in the fight against terrorism have been “destroyed,” adding that the fault was not Moscow’s.

“I always reminded the Americans that our president was the first who, in 2001, extended his hand to the Americans and declared his readiness to provide help. And something worked, it worked... and it’s not our fault that all of this has been destroyed today,” he said.

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March 23, 2024 Shooting at Moscow concert venue leaves over 130 dead

By Chris Lau, Andrew Raine , Catherine Nicholls, Issy Ronald, Lauren Said-Moorhouse and Tori B. Powell , CNN

Gunmen shot at "everyone," threw Molotov cocktails, witness says

From CNN's Mia Alberti and Jennifer Hauser

An unnamed male witness who survived the attack at the Crocus City Hall Friday said he saw the gunmen enter the concert hall where they "started shooting everyone."

"I was sitting in the hall upstairs where the balconies were. We heard gunshots. At first, we didn't understand what had happened," he said in an interview with Ostorozhno Novosti, which was published by Reuters.

The man says that "in the end," the attackers threw a Molotov cocktail, and "everything was set on fire."

"We were led to the exit. Turned out, the exit was locked. We ran all over Crocus City, trying to find an exit, but to no avail. We went into the basement of the Crocus City Hall and waited for the Emergency Services (MChS) and got out," he said.

Another witness, Nikolai, who did not provide a last name, told Reuters, "I've seen wounded, I've seen people lying down when the shooting happened.  (PERSON ASKING: Can you approximately count how many people were wounded?)  I can not. More than a dozen."

And another witness, Andrei, who also did not give a last name, told Reuters, "We've been at the furthest corner, it all was far away. We've only seen crowd, but there was no panic, everyone walked calmly. Some sat down as they walked out, but there was not panic."

Men shot people point-blank and threw incendiary bombs, Russian reporter at the scene says

From CNN's Mariya Knight

The suspects who attacked Crocus City Hall burst into the concert hall and began shooting people point-blank, reports a Russian state media RIA Novosti correspondent from the scene who witnessed the incident.

According to him, a few minutes before 20:00 Moscow time before the start of the concert, at least three men in camouflage and without masks burst into the hall through the stalls.

They shot people point-blank and threw incendiary bombs, he reported.

Those who managed to get out of the hall were pointed to the emergency exits by the complex's security and the guards remained in place, the RIA Novosti reporter said.

Band performing at Crocus City Hall unharmed-TASS

From CNN's Jennifer Hauser

The band, Picnic that was due to perform at the Crocus City Hall was not harmed during the shooting incident, law enforcement agencies tell Russian state media TASS.

Band manager Yuri Chernyshevsky also confirmed this information.

"I can confirm that the musicians are unharmed," he said, according to TASS.

40 killed in Crocus City hall attack, TASS reports

From Mariya Knight

At least 40 people were killed, and more than 100 were injured, according to preliminary information from the FSB, Russian state media TASS reports.

Meanwhile, Russia 24 says the roof of the Crocus City Hall building is partially collapsed.

Russia Investigative Committee opens criminal case 

From Darya Tarasova and Jim Rogers

The Main Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case regarding a terrorist attack in the Moscow region.

Based on the incident in the Crocus City Hall concert hall, the Main Investigation Department of the Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (terrorist act).

An investigative team from the central office of the Russian Investigative Committee went to the scene of the incident.

Russian state media TASS reports that two helicopters are at the scene discharging water to try to put out at the fire at Crocus City Hall.

4 armed individuals seen in video from Moscow shooting

From CNN's Paul P. Murphy

Four armed individuals are seen in new video, which appears to show a mass shooting at a shopping center in Moscow. 

CNN has geolocated the video, which first began to circulate on social media on Friday evening. 

In the video, the four individuals can be seen, several carrying long rifles, opening fire at civilians in the shopping center just outside of the Crocus City Hall concert venue.

The civilians in the video were huddled up against the wall as the armed individuals began firing dozens of shots at them. A number of people can be seen falling to the ground. 

During the shooting, one of the armed individuals is seen shooting out one of the glass doors at the concert venue and moving inside. 

Additional video geolocated by CNN shows individuals wearing similar clothing firing inside the concert venue building. Gunfire can also be heard in video taken inside the concert hall.

Fire started after armed men opened fire inside concert hall in Moscow region

From Anna Chernova and Darya Tarasova

The Russia Prosecutor General's Office says the number of victims in Crocus City Hall is being clarified. A fire started in the entertainment center building and citizens are being evacuated, according to Russian state media Ria Novosti.

The Russian FSB reports that as a result of the shooting in Crocus City Hall, there are dead and wounded,  according to Russian state media TASS.

Armed men opened fire inside concert hall in Moscow region

From CNN's Mariya Knight and Darya Tarasova

Three armed men opened fire inside a concert hall in Moscow region on Friday, according to Russian state media agencies TASS and RIA Novosti.

There are believed to be dead and wounded per Russian state media but they did not specify any numbers. 

RIA-Novosti said that the three men “threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire” in the concert hall.

️More than 50 ambulance teams were sent to Krasnogorsk, a town in the Moscow region, to provide medical care to all those in need, the Moscow Region Ministry of Health told Russian state media RIA Novosti.

The first victims of the attack in the Moscow region were admitted to medical institutions and Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko is keeping the situation under control, according to the assistant minister, Russian state media RIA Novosti reports.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that he is canceling all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend. 

The General Prosecutor's Office of Russia says, "Unidentified people in camouflage broke into Crocus City Hall and started shooting before the start of the concert," according to Russian state media TASS.

Shooting and blast reported inside concert hall in Moscow region

A shooting incident occurred in the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow region, Russian state news agency Tass reported on Friday.

The shooting could have been carried out from a machine gun, TASS said. 

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