DEF Leppard drummer Rick Allen says he’s “healing” after being apparently ambushed by a teenager in Fort Lauderdale.
Four days ago 19-year-old Max Hartley ran full-speed at Allen as he stood outside his hotel, knocking the 59-year-old one-armed musician over and causing him to bang his head on the ground.
“Thank you everyone for your overwhelming support,” Allen wrote on Twitter. “Your love and prayers are truly helping.
“My wife Lauren was thankfully not with me at the time of the incident. We are together now, and working on recovering in a safe space.”
Allen appears to appeal for fans to empathise with the offender with his next comment.
“We are focusing on healing for everyone involved,” he continues.
“We ask you to join us in our effort to move from confusion and shock to compassion and empathy. 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.”
