Recently, Loudwire reported the tragic news of the passing of Brian Montana, the original guitarist for the legendary death metal band Possessed, who died during a police shootout. In a heartfelt tribute posted on social media, Jeff Becerra, the longtime vocalist of Possessed, expressed his profound sadness over the loss of his former bandmate.

Heartfelt Tribute from Jeff Becerra to Brian Montana

On Friday, May 2, the official Instagram account of Possessed, managed by Becerra, shared an emotional message honoring Montana’s memory. Becerra opened his tribute by stating, “I want people to know that Brian Montana was an incredibly kind-hearted person,” elaborating:

He was a jovial individual and a true gentleman. His passion for martial arts was evident, and he was undoubtedly an exceptional guitarist. Brian had a knack for making people laugh and was genuinely a good person. Although our communication was sporadic, limited to phone calls now and then, my memories of Brian date back to our youthful days at the inception of Possessed. The portrayal I see in the media is far from who he truly was. I believe this misrepresentation played a role in his departure from Possessed. He wasn’t inclined to embrace the dark themes that we were pursuing at that point. While we leaned into an evil aesthetic, Brian maintained a lighthearted and even playful demeanor. He clearly faced his own challenges, and now is the time to show respect for the Montana family and his friends during this tragic period. I feel this is a significant loss, and my heart is heavy with sadness.

You can view his heartfelt post below:

While there are no comments on that tribute, Becerra’s post on May 2 on Possessed‘s X account garnered several responses, where he shared multiple images of Montana along with the caption: “Rest In Peace Brian #possessed.”

For example, one fan commented, “Rest in power!” while another added, “What a legend, rip Brian.”

You can see those responses and more below:

Additionally, Blabbermouth reported that Possessed addressed the shooting incident through the band’s Instagram Story early on May 2, stating, “Very tragic news. Our sympathies to the Montana family and friends,” accompanied by an image of a news article.

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Understanding the Circumstances Surrounding Montana’s Death and His Legacy with Possessed

According to The Daily Journal, the shooting incident occurred on April 28 and stemmed from a dispute between Montana and his neighbor in South San Francisco. As reported by Loudwire on May 1, “Authorities stated that the conflict began due to Montana’s frustration with the neighbor’s tree branches and leaves encroaching into his yard.”

The report continued:

Law enforcement was called to the scene after receiving reports that Montana had threatened his neighbor with a firearm. Upon arrival, officers found that the situation had escalated; Montana was discharging multiple firearms at the neighbor’s residence, prompting the neighbor to call for police backup.

Montana then turned his weapons on the police from his driveway, seeking refuge between vehicles and landscaping features, but was ultimately shot and killed at the scene. He was 60 years old at the time of his death. The neighbor was transported to the hospital with a graze wound sustained during the altercation.

“Alcohol was a contributing factor from the shooter’s side,” stated District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. “While this incident is a tragedy, we are fortunate that no one else was seriously harmed or injured.”

Authorities revealed Montana’s identity the following day.

For further details about the shooting, you can read the press release from the South San Francisco Police Department.

Fans of Possessed may be aware that Montana initially joined the band in 1983 but departed the following year after contributing to the recording of the Death Metal demo and the inclusion of “Swing of the Axe” on Metal Blade Records’ Metal Massacre VI compilation. His departure was primarily due to creative differences, and he was succeeded by Larry LaLonde, who was previously with Blizzard and now plays with Primus.

In an interview with Voices From the Darkside, Montana shared:

After I joined the band, we spent a lot of time together. I was the original guitarist alongside [Mike] Torrao, and when I came on board, we were still just a garage band; we hadn’t even played our first gig yet. Once we began performing in clubs, our bond grew stronger, and we had a great time. . . . I chose to leave the band because Torrao had a significant attitude issue and wouldn’t stop criticizing me. He was relentless, akin to a senile old lady who just wouldn’t quiet down. He had issues with my image, believing I wasn’t dark enough or something. He constantly pressured me to wear an upside-down crucifix and adopt a more satanic persona.