SAN FRANCISCO — Brian Montana, an early guitarist for the pioneering death metal band Possessed, was shot and killed by police in South San Francisco this week following a violent confrontation with a neighbor, authorities said.
Montana, 60, was involved in a heated dispute over tree clippings when the situation escalated. According to the South San Francisco Police Department, Montana brandished a firearm and opened fire on both the neighbor and responding officers. The incident took place on Monday evening, with 911 calls reporting a man threatening someone with a gun.
When police arrived, Montana reportedly took cover behind parked cars and landscaping, using three separate firearms — a handgun, a shotgun, and a rifle — to fire at officers over a span of nearly 30 minutes. One neighbor was injured during the exchange but is expected to recover. Officers used patrol vehicles for cover and returned fire, ultimately striking Montana. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Montana fired multiple times at officers using a handgun, shotgun, and rifle,” the department said in a statement. “Officers used patrol cars as cover and returned fire. The suspect was struck and ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Brian Montana was best known for his role in Possessed during the band’s formative period in the early 1980s. He played guitar on the band’s first demo, Death Metal, recorded in 1984. The demo helped define the emerging genre and even lent its name to what would become known as death metal. Possessed would go on to influence a generation of death metal acts.
Though Montana’s time with the band was brief, his involvement with Death Metal secured his place in the genre’s history. Possessed is widely regarded as one of the originators of death metal, alongside peers like Death, Necrophagia, Obituary, and Cannibal Corpse.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
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