Def Leppard's Rick Allen releases statement about Florida attack

(Image credit: JB Lacroix)

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen has released a statement in the wake of the attack that left him injured last week. The incident took place after the band had played the most recent of their Stadium Tour shows with Mötley Crüe, at Hard Rock Live, in Hollywood, FL.

According to the police report, Allen was smoking a cigarette in the valet section of the Four Seasons Hotel in Fort Lauderdale when he was attacked. The drummer was knocked backwards, where he hit his head on the ground and sustained an injury. A 19-year-old man was later arrested before being released on police nail.

In the statement, given to ABC News, Allen says, "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. We are together now, and working on recovering in a safe space.

"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."

Allen's attacker has been charged with four counts of criminal mischief, one count of misdemeanour battery and one count of aggravated battery.

Motley Crue's Stadium Tour with Def Leppard makes its way to Europe in May, before heading back to the US in August. Full dates below.

Mötley Crüe/Def Leppard Stadium Tour 2023

May 22: Sheffield Bramall Lane, UK
May 25: Mönchengladbach Sparkassen Park, Germany
May 27: Munich Koenigsplatz, Germany
May 29: Budapest MVM Dome, Hungary
May 31: Krakow Tauron Arena Kraków, Poland
Jun 02: Prague Rocks, Czech Republic
Jun 03: Hannover Expo Plaza, Germany
Jun 07: Solvesborg, Sweden Rock Festival, Sweden
Jun 09: Helsinki RockFest, Finland
Jun 11: Trondheim Rocks, Norway
Jun 14: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark
Jun 18: Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting, Belgium
Jun 20: Milan Ippodromo SNAI San Siro, Italy
Jun 23: Lisbon Passeio Maritimo de Alges, Portugal
Jun 24: Rivas-Vaciamadrid Auditorio Miguel Ríos, Spain
Jun 27: Thun Stockhorn Arena, Switzerland
Jul 01: London Wembley Stadium, UK
Jul 02: Lytham Festival, UK
Jul 04: Dublin Marlay Park, Ireland
Jul 06: Glasgow Hampden Park, UK

Aug 05: Syracuse JMA Wireless Dome, NY
Aug 08: Columbus Ohio Stadium, OH
Aug 11: Fargo Fargodome, ND
Aug 13: Omaha Charles Schwab Field Omaha, NE
Aug 16: Tulsa H.A. Chapman Stadium, OK
Aug 18: El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium, TX

Tickets are on sale now

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.