Cannibal Corpse have issued a new statement in response to the recent arrest of their guitarist, Pat O’Brien.
According to a police report, O’Brien was officially charged with “aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with deadly weapon, and burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault or battery.”
It’s claimed that, while the incident took place, O’Brien’s home was burning down with explosive devices inside, including military-style flamethrowers.
The owner of the house that O’Brien allegedly broke into claimed that O’Brien was hallucinating, hid in the closet, and spoke to the oncoming rapture and that someone was after him. You can watch a news report of the incident here:
During his first appearance at Hillsborough County Court, filmed by local TV station WFLA, O’Brien wore an anti-suicide vest and was shackled to court deputies whilst bail was set at $50,000. O’Brien was later released after posting bail.
In a new statement on the band’s Facebook page, Cannibal Corpse have now responded to the incident, saying: “As a band and as individuals, we all want nothing but the best for our brother and partner, Pat.
“While we can offer no further information about the incident, we wanted everyone to know that Pat is getting the help he needs and appreciates the love and support from Cannibal Corpse fans around the world.”
The band revealed that O’Brien is with family and friends and that the band’s upcoming tour supporting Slayer is still scheduled to go ahead as planned.
They continued: “Pat is currently with family and friends and looks forward to a healthy return at some point. For anyone wondering, all Cannibal Corpse touring will happen as planned and all shows will be played.”
As a band and as individuals, we all want nothing but the best for our brother and partner, Pat. While we can offer no…
Posted by Cannibal Corpse on Thursday, December 20, 2018
Cannibal Corpse were named as the support band on Slayer’s farewell tour in the US in May. The veteran death metal band are also due to co-headline a Decibel magazine tour with Morbid Angel from February 17 to March 17.
Formed in 1988 in New York, Cannibal Corpse released their 14th album ‘Red Before Black’ last year. Their albums were banned from being sold in separate government rulings in Australia and Germany, before both countries relented in the 2000s.