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Last week, Loudwire<\/a> reported that Brian Montana (original guitarist for classic death metal act Possessed<\/a>) was killed during a police shootout. In his newly posted tribute to the late musician, Montana\u2019s former bandmate \u2013 longtime Possessed vocalist Jeff Becerra<\/a> \u2013 says that he\u2019s \u201cdeeply saddened\u201d by the loss.<\/p>\n This past Friday (May 2), the official Possessed Instagram account \u00a0\u2013 handled by\u00a0 Becerra \u00a0\u2013 posted a lengthy tribute to Montana. Becerra begins, \u201cI just feel like people should know that Brian Montana was a very nice guy,\u201d adding:<\/p>\n He was jovial and a gentleman. He was into martial arts and he was an excellent guitar player. Brian was always cracking jokes and he was a good person. Although we weren\u2019t in touch often and more than a phone call here and there. The Brian I know is from when we were still just kids back in the beginning of Possessed. He was nothing like what I\u2019m seeing being written about him. In fact, I think that\u2019s one of the reasons that led to him leaving Possessed. He just wasn\u2019t willing to be as dark as we wanted him to be at that time. We were going for that evil imagery, and Brian was just so lighthearted, even goofy in a good way. He was obviously going through some struggles and I think this is the time to be respectful towards the Montana family and friends as this is a tragic time for them. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a lot more to this story but that would be up to Brian\u2018s family to tell or not to tell. I know that I still feel this is a great loss and I\u2019m deeply saddened.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n You can see his post below:<\/p>\n Although there are no comments on that<\/em> tribute, there are several replies to Becerra\u2019s May 2 post on Possessed\u2019s X account (in which he uploaded several images of Montana while commenting: \u201cRest In Peace Brian #possessed\u201d).<\/p>\n For instance, someone wrote, \u201cRest in power!\u201d while another fan responded: \u201cWhat a legend rip Brian.\u201d<\/p>\n You can see those replies \u2013 and more \u2013 below:<\/p>\n Plus,\u00a0Blabbermouth<\/a>\u00a0mentioned that \u201cPossessed shared a comment about the shooting via the band\u2019s Instagram Story early Friday, May 2, writing, \u2018Very tragic news. Our sympathies to the Montana family and friends\u2019 above an image of a news article.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> 31 Essential Rock + Metal Albums Turning 40 in 2025<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Per The Daily Journal<\/a><\/em>, the shooting took place on April 28 and resulted from Montana being \u201cinvolved in a dispute with his neighbor in South San Francisco.\u201d As Loudwire wrote on May 1: \u201cAuthorities said it started because Montana was bothered by the neighbor’s tree branches and leaves falling in his yard.\u201d<\/p>\n Loudwire continued:<\/p>\n The police were dispatched when they received reports that Montana threatened his neighbor with a gun. By the time they arrived the situation had escalated, and Montana was firing multiple guns at the neighbor’s home, prompting them to call for backup.<\/p>\n Montana then fired at the police from his driveway, seeking cover between vehicles and landscaping, but was ultimately shot dead on the scene. He was 60 years old. The neighbor\u00a0was taken to the hospital after sustaining a graze wound during the shootout.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the shooter\u2019s side, there was some alcohol involved,\u201d District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. \u201cHis death is a tragedy, but it\u2019s fortunate that nobody else wasn\u2019t hit or injured more seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n Montana’s identity was revealed by authorities the following day.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n You can read more about the shooting via the South San Francisco Police Department\u2019s press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n As fans of Possessed likely know, Montana joined the death metal troupe in 1983, only to leave the following year (after the band recorded the\u00a0Death Metal<\/em> demo and got \u201cSwing of the Axe\u201d on Metal Blade Records\u2019 Metal Massacre VI<\/em> compilation). Montana left due to creative differences and was replaced by Larry LaLonde<\/a> (formerly of Blizzard and currently in Primus<\/a>).<\/p>\n During an interview with Voices From the Darkside<\/a>, Montana explained:<\/p>\n After I joined the band, yes, we hung out together a lot. I was the original guitarist besides [Mike] Torrao, so when I joined we were still just a garage band; didn\u2019t even have our first gig yet. After we started playing the clubs, we bonded more and had a lot more fun with it. . . . I left the band because Torrao had a terrible attitude problem and wouldn\u2019t stop ragging at me. He was like some senile old lady that just wouldn\u2019t shut up. He had a problem with my image. He didn\u2019t think I was evil enough or something. He was always ragging on me to wear an upside down crucifix and be satanic.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n There’s some amazing talent that’s no longer with us, but what a legacy they left behind.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat Becerra Wrote<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\u00a0<\/strong>More About Montana\u2019s Death + History With Possessed<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Rockers We’ve Lost in 2025<\/h2>\n