Reports have emerged from the US that all members of Decapitated, a Polish death metal band currently on tour in America, have been arrested on charges of kidnapping.
As Washington state news website KREM reports, members of Los Angeles County’s Sheriff’s Office have taken members of the band into custody in California in relation to an alleged kidnapping that occurred in the city of Spokane, on September 1st.
The victim reportedly alerted the Spokane Police Department on September 1st to an incident in which she states she was allegedly held against her will by members of Decapitated. This incident had reportedly occurred after the band had performed a show in the Washington city the previous night.
KREM notes that the Spokane Police Department looked at the band’s current touring schedule to ascertain the group’s upcoming location, and contacted officers in Santa Ana, California, who arrested Wacław Kiełtyka, Rafał Piotrowski, Michał Łysejko, and Hubert Więcek following their show on Friday night.
As The Spokesman-Review reports, the band have hired defence lawyer Steve Graham who made a brief statement in regards to the events. “There is another side to this,” Graham said. “We have witnesses that can testify to the fact that the accuser came to visit the band of her own free will and left on good terms.”
Graham also stated that Decapitated’s members had offered to surrender to police, but this offer apparently received no reply. “I made it clear that I could get the guys up [to Spokane] ASAP and they would cooperate,” Graham said.
At the current stage, it appears as though the band are being prepared to be extradited up to Spokane to face charges, with Graham stating the band will not fight this, but will instead return to Spokane willingly.
The band have not released any statement in regards to the fate of their upcoming shows, but it is assumed that gigs for the near future have been cancelled while the group face charges. Decapitated are also currently scheduled to tour Europe in October and November with Australia’s King Parrot.
We’ll be sure to keep you updated if any more details on the case emerge.
