Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen issued a statement after being violently assaulted last week outside of a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The band was in town following a performance the previously evening with Mötley Crüe at the Hard Rock Live in nearby Hollywood, FL.
Per a Ft. Lauderdale police incident report, the assailant, 19-year-old Max Edward Hartley, was arrested shortly after the incident and has been charged with four counts of criminal mischief; one count of misdemeanor battery; and one count of aggravated battery. Hartley allegedly charged at Allen, who hit his head after being knocked to the ground. The assailant also apparently attacked a woman who tried to interfere in the incident, hitting her repeatedly and dragging her by the hair.
In his statement, Allen said: “Thank you everyone for your overwhelming support. Your love and prayers are truly helping. My wife Lauren [Monroe] was thankfully not with me at the time of the incident. We are together now, and working on recovering in a safe space [and focused on] healing for everyone involved. We ask you to join us in our effort to move from confusion and shock to compassion and empathy. We understand this act of violence can be triggering for so many people. To all of the fans, veterans and first responders in our global community, we are thinking of you all. Together with love, we can all get through these difficult times.”
Allen joined Def Leppard in 1978, and famously lost his left arm in a serious automobile accident in 1984, but has remained the band’s drummer ever since.
Def Leppard’s Rick Allen Says He’s Focused on “Healing” After Violent Attack
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