A police report reveals more details about the last few hours leading to the death of late Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell.
Cornell passed away on Wednesday evening (May 17). He was found dead in his hotel room shortly after performing with Soundgarden in Detroit. He was 52.
Yesterday (May 18), a medical examiner determined that Cornell committed suicide. Cornell’s family have also spoken out about the potential impact of prescription drugs.
A police report obtained by The Detroit News states that Cornell’s wife Vicky asked the singer’s bodyguard to check on her husband because “he did not sound like he is okay” in a telephone conversation she had with him. During that phone call, Cornell is said to have been slurring, admitted to taking “an extra Ativan [anti-anxiety medication] or two” and repeatedly said, “I am just tired”.
Cornell’s bodyguard Martin Kirsten is said to have kicked down two doors to gain entry to Cornell’s hotel room, finding the frontman on the bathroom floor “with blood running from his mouth and a red exercise band around [his] neck”.
Both a hotel medic and an emergency medical technician unsuccessfully performed CPR on Cornell, who was pronounced dead at 1.30am local time.
- READ MORE: Chris Cornell’s 10 best songs
As tributes poured in for Cornell following the news of his passing, Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello posted an emotional eulogy to his bandmate.
“I love you, brother,” the tribute began. “Thank you for your friendship and your humor and your intellect and your singular and unmatched talent. It was a great honor to know you as a friend and as a band mate.”