Rick Allen, the legendary drummer from Def Leppard, broke his silence nearly one week after being attacked outside the Four Seasons Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The 59-year-old musician expressed gratitude for the “overwhelming support” following the unprovoked attack last week when Max Hartley, 19, allegedly knocked him over near the valet stand while Allen was smoking a cigarette. Allen was injured when he hit his head on the ground, according to police.
“Thank you everyone for your overwhelming support,” he wrote on Twitter. “Your love and prayers are truly helping.”
“My wife Lauren was thankfully not with me at the time of the incident. We are together now, and working on recovering in a safe space.”
“We are focusing on healing for everyone involved,” Allen continued. “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.”
Upon witnessing the attack, an unnamed woman came to Allen’s defense and was then also attacked by Hartley, who then knocked her to the ground and began repeatedly striking her.
She was able to return to the hotel and was followed by Hartley. He then allegedly pulled her hair and dragged her outside before fleeing the area.
Police later released 911 audio tapes that led to Hartley’s arrest. In the first call, a woman working security for the Four Seasons called around three minutes after the alleged attack.
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