A quiet neighborhood in South San Francisco turned into a chaotic scene of gunfire and death this week after a seemingly trivial dispute between neighbors escalated to a fatal confrontation.
Brian Montana, a former guitarist for the pioneering death metal band Possessed, was killed in a shootout with police officers after reportedly opening fire on a neighbor and law enforcement. The catalyst? A disagreement over tree clippings.
The incident unfolded on Monday evening and has since sent shockwaves through the local community and the metal music scene. While police say Brian Montana was heavily armed and fired at officers from multiple positions, friends and former bandmates remember him as a kind and genial person. The tragic convergence of personal strife, firearms, and neighborhood tensions has left many searching for answers.
A Deadly Dispute in a Suburban Neighborhood
At around 5:55 p.m. on Monday, South San Francisco Police Department officers were dispatched to a residence on Arroyo Drive following reports of a man brandishing a weapon and firing shots.
According to police, when they arrived at the scene, they encountered an active shooter situation. The suspect, later identified as 60-year-old Brian Montana, was shooting into an occupied home.
Montana, armed with multiple firearms including a handgun, shotgun, and a rifle, had taken cover behind vehicles parked in a neighboring driveway. Officers used police vehicles as cover as Montana allegedly fired repeatedly in their direction.
What followed was a 25-minute-long gun battle, during which Montana maneuvered around the driveway, using landscaping and parked cars for cover while engaging in a firefight with officers.
The motivation behind Montana’s outburst of violence, police say, was a simmering dispute with a neighbor over tree debris. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the argument started after a tree hanging into Montana’s property was cut back, with clippings reportedly left behind. It was this minor landscaping issue that seemingly triggered the lethal confrontation.
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“My understanding is they had a dispute over a tree that was hanging,” local resident Cory David told CBS News Bay Area. “This is how foolish this kind of thing is… then somebody decided to settle it with a gun.”
During the gunfight, one resident of the home Montana had been shooting at sustained a non-life-threatening injury and was transported to a nearby trauma center. No police officers were injured in the confrontation.
The Standoff and Shooting
As the tense exchange continued, Brian Montana shifted positions several times, seeking tactical advantage and cover behind various obstacles in the driveway. Officers, in turn, responded with calculated fire, using their vehicles as a shield.
The South San Francisco Police Department described it as an intense and dangerous encounter with numerous rounds exchanged between Montana and the responding units.
Eventually, officers managed to strike Montana. Once they determined he was no longer a threat, they approached his location and found him unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel were summoned to the scene, and officers performed life-saving measures, but Brian Montana succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on-site.
Police later confirmed that two officers had fired their weapons during the incident. In accordance with department protocol, both officers have been placed on administrative leave while an investigation is carried out. Authorities have indicated that body cam footage and additional information will be made public in the coming weeks.
The incident has raised questions about how neighborhood disputes can escalate so rapidly and tragically, particularly in a society where firearms are readily accessible. It also brings to light the often overlooked issues of mental health, isolation, and unaddressed conflict that can lie beneath the surface in suburban communities.
Brian Montana: Musician Remembered Amid Tragedy
Before the tragedy, Brian Montana was best known for his contributions to the death metal scene in the early 1980s as a member of Possessed, a seminal band from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Considered one of the pioneers of the death metal genre, Possessed had a lasting influence on the heavy metal landscape. Montana performed with the band during its formative years, and his guitar work was part of the group’s raw and aggressive sound that laid the foundation for a new wave of extreme music.
Montana’s former bandmates and fans expressed sorrow over the news of his death, remembering him not as the man involved in a violent standoff, but as a kind-hearted and respectful individual. A tribute on Possessed’s official Instagram page featured a vintage photo of the band and a short message: “Rest in Peace Brian Montana.”
A longer statement from the band’s official account offered a more personal reflection on Montana’s life: “I just feel like people should know that Brian Montana was a very nice guy. He was jovial and a gentleman. He was nothing like what I’m seeing written about him. He was obviously going through some struggles and I think this is the time to be respectful towards the Montana family and friends as this is a tragic time for them. I know that I still feel this is a great loss and I’m deeply saddened.”
Montana’s former colleague, Larry LaLonde, who went on to join the band Primus, has not yet commented publicly, but many in the music community are mourning the sudden and violent end of a man who once helped shape the sound of a genre.
The contrast between Montana’s legacy as a musician and his final, fatal act has left fans and observers grappling with how to reconcile the two. Friends close to Montana suggest he may have been struggling emotionally or mentally in the period leading up to the incident, though details remain unconfirmed.
A Community Left Reeling
The residents of Arroyo Drive are still processing the events of that Monday evening. What began as a normal day in a quiet suburban neighborhood ended in gunfire, fear, and loss. Police are continuing to investigate the incident, piecing together the events that led to Montana’s violent confrontation with law enforcement.
As investigators work through witness accounts, body cam footage, and forensic evidence, many are asking what might have been done differently to prevent such an outcome. Was there a missed opportunity for intervention before Montana took up arms? Could community conflict mediation or mental health support have made a difference?
In the wake of the tragedy, local authorities are urging residents to report escalating disputes and unusual behavior, especially when firearms are involved. But beyond policy, the incident has sparked conversations about the fragile nature of civility and how quickly everyday frustrations can boil over into irreversible tragedy.
While the police maintain that their response was measured and necessary given the threat posed, the broader implications of the shooting are far from settled. Public reactions are mixed—some see the incident as a stark reminder of the dangers law enforcement face, while others emphasize the need for deeper investment in mental health resources and de-escalation strategies.
As the investigation continues, the community of South San Francisco mourns both the disruption to their neighborhood and the loss of a man who once made music that brought people together. What remains is a cautionary tale about conflict, isolation, and the thin line between grievance and violence.