After being attacked outside a hotel in Florida earlier this month, Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen claims he is recovering.
Allen, 59, was attacked while smoking in front of the Four Seasons hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach. He was in South Florida for a performance at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Authorities held a male suspect, 19, but claimed they had no idea what had prompted the attack. In the police report, neither the suspect nor Allen were mentioned.
However, on March 19, Allen thanked his supporters in a social media post. He also added that he was relieved that his wife Lauren was not there when the incident took place and that they are currently “working on recovering in a secure area”.
Police assert that the attacker hid behind a pillar while Allen was outside the hotel smoking a cigarette. The man charged at Allen, knocking him to the ground.
The police report states that when a woman saw Allen fall, she ran to save him but the man attacked her instead.
The man ran away to another hotel and began breaking car windows before being apprehended by witnesses and police. He was taken into custody and charged with two counts of violence, four counts of criminal mischief, and four additional counts, in addition to harming an elderly or disabled adult.
Allen had his left arm amputated after a car accident in 1984.
Allen wore a blue Fort Lauderdale police T-shirt in a photo posted on Instagram.
