34 years later and it still doesn't make sense...

[Blue Meanie]

I was 11 and watching Monday Night Football when I heard that John Lennon had been shot. Still doesn't make sense why someone would do something so crazed and so cowardice. RIP John.

[nvmbrsdoom5]

I was at my grandmother's house for a family dinner, my aunt was in her early Twenties and still lived at home there. I was only 7 years old and barely knew anything about the Beatles, Lennon, etc. The news came on the television and my aunt ran into her bedroom to turn on the local rock radio station (probably WXRT or WMET) and the DJ was talking about it, sounding overwhelmed and sad. My aunt was in tears. It was the first time I had even heard of someone being assassinated. The whole thing really affected me. They were playing songs from Double Fantasy in between the DJ reporting updates and so forth. To this day, as much as I love that album, I get emotional hearing some of those songs because of my association with hearing them that night.

Twenty four years later to the day, Darrell Abbott was gunned down onstage in front of a live crowd. I'd met him on occasion and he was close with some of my friends, he was a genuinely decent nice guy. I don't know what it is about December 8th, but it just isn't a good day.

[Type3Toys]

I was 11 and watching Monday Night Football when I heard that John Lennon had been shot. Still doesn't make sense why someone would do something so crazed and so cowardice. RIP John.

I was 18. Got the news from a fellow Beatles fan by phone. We always used to joke with each other about them getting back together, so at first I thought it was a joke. He said put on the radio, no surprise it was a Beatle song. Changed the station literally a dozen times, even stations that did not play rock music ALL playing a different Beatles song. At that point I knew this was not good. It was a very sad day for many of us. The following week myself and 2 buddies went to Philly for the silent prayer vigil for his soul. After the 10 minutes of silence I cracked a beer. Although I have not had a drink in over 21 years, I still have that beer cap.

[MIB41]

I'll never forget my mother waking me up early that morning to tell me. I think the Today show was on and they were playing Imagine. It was a haunting day. Every time I see a documentary and they're reaching that final day, I just want to reach through the screen and say, "Don't go out!" It was literally a game of chance that got him killed that day because Chapman had considered other celebrities and decided to park it for that day. Who knows if he had moved on to someone else had Lennon stayed in or been less accessible? It was just a terrible day. Our society could use his wisdom right now.

[Mikey]

I've heard many fans argue if Lennon was alive he'd be fighting for Chapman's release (considering how much time Chapman served compared to any other murderer)

Of course i'm against his release but it is an interesting thought.

If he murdered your mom, pop, brother or sister he'd be walking the streets years ago.

[Nostalgiabuff]

I was 8 and remember very well the constant news coverage. a sad day that will always live in infamy.

I have always felt that they keep Chapman in prison for his own protection as much as anything else. if he ever gets released someone will take him out pretty quickly

[Mikey]

I was a freshman in highschool at the time.

Everybody predicted somebody would off Chapman

Weird it never happened

[mego maniac mark]

One of the most senseless acts of mankind's history. I was delivering papers, covering the route for a friend. The headline Ex Beatle Lennon slain cut through me. I was 13, and thanks to my older brothers and sisters listened to the Beatles all the time. Truly senseless

[Mr.Marion]

John was and still is my favorite Beatle. Everyone who picks up an instrument owes him some sense of gratitude. Its hard enough when we lose talent to their own choices but unlike Jim Morrison, Hendrix, and Ian Curtis; John didn't get a say in the matter.

[Grimjohn]

I was 10 and it was the first celebrity death that really hit me for I was a big Lennon fan, even at that age. He was such a brilliant lyricist and musician, humanity had lost its voice of philosophical wisdom. Such a tragic loss...

[cjefferys]

My eight year old son is a huge Beatles fan right now. It was tough when I had to tell him that two of them are no longer with us. At least George's death was explainable (as sad as it is). But John's death was just so frigging senseless, it's hard to try and explain to my son why such a thing would even happen...

[TrekStar]

John Lennon was by far the most talented of the bunch, the leader of the group, it's rumored that
his marriage to Yoko broke up the band, but that's a crock, they were going there seperate ways regardless.

His song "Give Peace a Chance" was one of the best, to bad this world can't live by that message, how sad and pathetic
and low can a scumbag like Chapman be to deliberately shoot him in the back, he should have got the death penalty.

[kingdom warrior]

I was 15 on that horrible night and i was also watching Monday night Football....it destroyed me....I went to sleep crying and I woke up still weeping. I was in shock and total disbelief that it happened. I detest Chapman and I hope he rots in Hell....he took away a Husband, a Father and we all lost a friend. My daughter has become a Beatles fan...and I took her to the Dakotas to show her where John lived and sadly died.

[Duncan]

It has been 10 years since the Alrosa Villa (Darrell Abbott) shooting. The local paper did a piece on some of the people affected:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stor...and-bonds.html