What led to Brian Montana’s death? Former Possessed guitarist shot in police standoff

Heavy Metal guitarist from metal band Possessed, Brian Montana, died after he was killed in a shootout with the police in California. He was 60.

According to a report in the New York Daily News, the incident occurred on April 28, 2025, when Montana reportedly pulled a gun at his neighbor’s home after an argument sparked between them over tree branches falling into his yard.

He was shot by the South San Francisco Police Department when Montana started firing at the police from his driveway, seeking cover between vehicles and landscaping. But he was ultimately shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

One neighbor suffered a graze wound and was hospitalized. District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said:

“On the shooter’s side, there was some alcohol involved. His death is a tragedy, but it’s fortunate that nobody else wasn’t hit or injured more seriously.”

His sudden death has drawn attention to him and his metal band, Possessed.

Who was Brian Montana?

Brian Montana was the band's guitarist when they recorded their 1984 Death Metal demo, which included tracks like Swing of the Axe. This demo is widely credited with coining the term “death metal.”

He became a member of the metal band Possessed in 1983. He came across an ad for a guitarist that was put up by the band’s founding members, Mike Torrao and Mike Sus, in the Bay Area, per a report in Loudwire.

In an interview with Voices From the Darkside, he said:

“After I joined the band, yes, we hung out together a lot. I was the original guitarist besides Torrao, so when I joined we were still just a garage band; didn’t even have our first gig yet. After we started playing the clubs, we bonded more and had a lot more fun with it.”

However, Montana left the band the year after they recorded their demo of Death Metal. Explaining why he left the band, Montana said,

“I left the band because Torrao had a terrible attitude problem and wouldn’t stop ragging at me. He was like some senile old lady that just wouldn’t shut up. He had a problem with my image. He didn’t think I was evil enough or something. He was always ragging on me to wear an upside down crucifix and be satanic."

The band paid him tribute on social media, where they wrote:

“Very Tragic news, Our sympathies to the Montana family and friends.”

A report in the New York Daily News stated that he left the band in 1985 after he got involved in a feud with guitarist Mike Torrao. The band disbanded in 1987, but reunited several times, however, Brian Montana was not a part of it.

Reportedly, the metal band is currently on tour in support of their album, Revelations of Oblivion, per their social media accounts. Brian Montana is the second member of the band to be shot. In 1989, vocalist Jeff Becerra was left paralyzed after being shot by two armed robbers.

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