Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen has issued a statement after being violently assaulted last week outside of a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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 (per a Fort Lauderdale police incident report).
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 to ABC News on Sunday (March 19th), Allen took a tone of empathy rather than one of accusation:
“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. He famously lost his left arm in a serious automobile accident in 1984, but has remained the band’s drummer ever since.
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Assuming his injuries from the assault aren’t serious or lingering, Allen will be behind the kit for the rest of Def Leppard’s 2023 world tour with Mötley Crüe. A UK/European leg kicks off in May, followed by a US leg this summer with special guest Alice Cooper. Pick up tickets to the upcoming shows here.
Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe 2023 Tour Dates:
05/22 – Sheffield, UK @ Bramall Lane
05/25 – Mönchengladbach, DE @ SparkassenPark
05/27 – Munich, DE @ Koenigsplatz
05/29 – Budapest, HU @ MVM Dome
05/31 – Krakow, PL @ Tauron Arena Kraków
06/02 – Prague, CZ @ Prague Rocks
06/03 – Hannover, DE @ Expo Plaza
06/07 – Solvesborg, SE @ Sweden Rock Festival
06/09 – Hyvinkää, FI @ RockFest
06/11 – Trondheim, NO @ Trondheim Rocks
06/14 – Copenhagen, DK @ Copenhell
06/18 – Dessel, BE @ Graspop Metal Meeting
06/20 – Milan, IT @ Ippodromo SNAI San Siro
06/23 – Lisbon, PT @ Passeio Maritimo de Alges
06/24 – Rivas-Vaciamadrid, ES @ Auditorio Miguel Ríos
06/27 – Thun, CH @ Stockhorn Arena
07/01 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
07/02 – Lytham, UK @ Lytham Festival
07/04 – Dublin, Ireland @ Marlay Park
07/06 – Glasgow, UK @ Hampden Park
08/05 – Syracuse, NY @ JMA Wireless Dome *
08/08 – Columbus, OH @ Ohio Stadium *
08/11 – Fargo, ND @ Fargodome *
08/13 – Omaha, NE @ Charles Schwab Field Omaha *
08/16 – Tulsa, OK @ H.A. Chapman Stadium *
08/18 – El Paso, TX @ Sun Bowl Stadium *
* = w/ Alice Cooper
