A guitarist described as a pioneer in the death metal genre passed away after getting into a shootout with police in San Francisco.
Brian Montana, 60, an original guitarist for the band Possessed, reportedly pulled a gun on his neighbor during an argument.
“Police say the incident began when Montana became enraged over tree debris from a neighbor’s yard and escalated into a shooting that left one resident injured and the neighborhood temporarily under lockdown,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Police responded to the scene and exchanged gunfire with Montana for over 25 minutes.
“On 4/28/25 at approx. 5:52 PM, SSFPD responded to a 911 call on the 300 block of Arroyo Dr. reporting a suspect brandishing a firearm at a neighbor. Officers arrived within minutes and quickly requested backup as the suspect began firing into an occupied home,” the South San Francisco Police Department stated.
“The armed suspect repositioned into a neighboring driveway and fired multiple times at officers using a handgun, shotgun, and rifle—taking cover behind vehicles and landscaping. Officers used patrol cars as cover and returned fire. The suspect was struck and ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene,” it added.
Death metal pioneer Brian Montana killed in shootout with California cops https://t.co/yD88MTztIs pic.twitter.com/CIGTbWHQaw
— New York Post (@nypost) May 1, 2025
Montana was struck by return fire from two officers. Life-saving efforts at the scene were unsuccessful. The neighbor suffered a graze wound and was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
“Two officers discharged their weapons and have been placed on paid administrative leave per protocol,” police said. “The incident is under investigation with the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.”
Montana was a key figure in Possessed’s early formation.
The musician joined the Bay Area band in 1983, responding to an ad for a guitarist placed by founding members Mike Torrao and Mike Sus.
He helped shape the group’s raw sound during its garage days and played on its “Death Metal” demo in 1984, a release that gave the genre its name.
🚨Original POSSESSED Guitarist BRIAN MONTANA Killed In Police Shootout In San Franciscohttps://t.co/beyfaMXQcL
— THIS DAY IN METAL (@ThisDayInMETAL) May 1, 2025
UPDATE: I’ve learned 2 @SSFPolice shot and killed armed 60yo man who fired shots at them – and home next door, angry that his neighbor’s gardener had apparently left leaves on his property. Neighbor weighs in. @SanMateoCoDA also investigating. 4,5,6:15,7:30 p.m. pic.twitter.com/xjeP4XPh0Z
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) April 29, 2025
From the New York Post:
The argument began over tree clippings from a neighbor’s yard, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. At 5:52 p.m. police received a 911 call about a man brandishing a gun at his neighbor, cops said.
Montana was an early guitarist for Possessed, a pioneer of the 80s death metal whose peers included Metallica, Death Angel and Testament.
Montana is the second member of the band to be shot.
Its vocalist Jeff Becerra was shot twice in a 1989 robbery that left him paralyzed from the waist down, according to Livewire.
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