A former guitarist for the San Francisco death metal band Possessed was shot and killed by South San Francisco police last week after shooting at a neighbor and then shooting at responding officers.
The San Francisco Chronicle noted that 60-year-old Brian Montana “became enraged over tree debris spilling over from a neighbor’s yard.” An argument with the neighbor ensued and soon escalated into shots being fired.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Montana armed himself with various guns as officers arrived on scene and fired at police.
A press release from the South San Francisco Police Department says: “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.”
Rest In Peace Brian #possessed pic.twitter.com/zhczCwlcno
— Possessed (@JeffBecerra) May 2, 2025
Possessed put up an Instagram post after learning of Montana’s death, writing in part, “I just feel like people should know that Brian Montana was a very nice guy. He was jovial and a gentleman. He was into martial arts and he was an excellent guitar player. Brian was always cracking jokes and he was a good person.”
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They ended the post by noting, “He was obviously going through some struggles and I think this is the time to be respectful towards the Montana family and friends as this is a tragic time for them. I’m sure there’s a lot more to this story but that would be up to Brian‘s family to tell or not to tell. I know that I still feel this is a great loss and I’m deeply saddened.”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio, a member of Gun Owners of America, a Pulsar Night Vision pro-staffer, and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and has a Ph.D. in Military History. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly:
