20 March 2023 , 07:41
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Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen has issued an update on his health after being attacked outside a hotel.
The drummer, who has one arm, stayed at the Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while he was in town performing alongside fellow headliners Mötley Crüe at the Hard Rock Live gig on March 12.
As he popped out for a cigarette, he was rushed and knocked to the ground by a teenager.
Allen, 59, thanked fans for their support in a new statement following the shock attack last week.
"Thank you everyone for your overwhelming support. Your love and prayers are truly helping. My wife Lauren [Monroe] was thankfully not with me at the time of the incident," a statement released on his behalf was released.
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"We ask you to join us in our effort to move from confusion and shock to compassion and empathy.
The drummer has thanked fans for their support (WireImage)
Max Edward Hartley, 19, was arrested after attacking the drummer (WSVN)"We understand this act of violence can be triggering for so many people. To all of the fans, veterans, and first responders in our global community, we are thinking of you all. Together with love, we can all get through these difficult times."
According to the police, teenager Max Edward Hartley was hiding outside the hotel when the attack happened.
The police report said the one-armed drummer hit his head when he was knocked to the ground by the 19-year-old.
When a female bystander tried to help, he allegedly attacked her too, hitting her multiple times and dragging her by the hair before running off.
Hartley was later arrested after police found him at a nearby hotel breaking car windows.
The teenager, from Cleveland, Ohio, appeared to be on Spring Break in Florida at the time.
He was staying at a hotel in Florida when he was knocked to the ground (Getty Images for Live Nation)Allen, who was injured in the assault, has since provided a statement to police and said he wants Hartley prosecuted.
The teenager has been charged with two counts of battery, four counts of criminal mischief and abusing an elderly or disabled adult.
Allen, now 59, tragically lost his left arm in a near-fatal crash in England in 1984 when he was just 21.
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He was driving his Corvette and trying to pass another car at high speed when he lost control and was thrown through the sunroof of his car.
His arm was severed from his body after it got caught in his seatbelt.