Former guitarist for metal band Possessed killed in police shooting

Brian Montana, a erstwhile guitarist for the Bay Area decease metallic set Possessed, was killed successful a shootout with constabulary successful South San Francisco.

The incidental occurred April 28 aft Montana, 60, confronted a neighbour astir histrion branches and leaves falling into his yard, according to a property merchandise from the South San Francisco Police Department, archetypal reported successful the San Mateo Daily Journal.

“Officers began arriving connected country astatine 5:55 p.m. and instantly requested further units due to the fact that the fishy with the firearm was present actively shooting into an occupied residence,” the merchandise stated. “The fishy past re-positioned himself into a driveway of that neighbouring residence and concealed his determination down parked vehicles portion inactive armed.

“Over the adjacent 25 minutes,” the merchandise continued, “the fishy equipped himself with 3 antithetic types of firearms (handgun, shotgun, and rifle) and fired astatine officers from antithetic locations wrong the driveway portion seeking screen and concealment utilizing some vehicles successful the driveway and landscaping.”

Two officers connected the country returned occurrence and killed Montana. One nonmigratory successful the location Montana changeable astatine suffered a non-life-threatening wounded successful the shooting, and was taken to a section infirmary for treatment. The officers were not injured.

San Mateo County Dist. Atty. Steve Wagstaffe told the Daily Journal that “On the shooter’s side, determination was immoderate intoxicant involved. His decease is simply a tragedy, but it’s fortunate that cipher other wasn’t deed oregon injured much seriously.”

Montana concisely played successful the pioneering decease metallic set from 1983 to 1984. Possessed’s authoritative Instagram posted a photograph of Montana with a little remembrance.

“I conscionable consciousness similar radical should cognize that Brian Montana was a precise bully guy. He was jovial and a gentleman,” the set wrote. “The Brian I cognize is from erstwhile we were inactive conscionable kids backmost successful the opening of Possessed. He was thing similar what I’m seeing being written astir him. ... He was evidently going done immoderate struggles and I deliberation this is the clip to beryllium respectful towards the Montana household and friends arsenic this is simply a tragic clip for them. I’m definite there’s a batch much to this story, but that would beryllium up to Brian‘s household to archer oregon not to tell. I cognize that I inactive consciousness this is simply a large nonaccomplishment and I’m profoundly saddened.”

This isn’t the band’s archetypal tragic brushwood with weapon violence. Possessed’s vocalist, Jeff Becerra, was paralyzed from the thorax down aft being changeable successful an equipped robbery successful 1989. He has utilized a wheelchair ever since, but successful 2021, helium walked for the archetypal clip successful decades with assistance from robotic legs.