On the same day a gun massacre at a church in Texas claimed the lives of 26 people, shock rocker Marilyn Manson appeared to mock mass shootings by pointing a fake gun at a crowd.
The 'Beautiful People' singer was dressed in hospital clothing and sitting in a wheelchair, with a man dressed as a doctor pushing him around as he pulled the stunt during a performance in San Bernardino, California - a place which itself saw an infamous deadly mass shooting in 2015.
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Manson suffered an injury four weeks ago at a concert in New York when a large gun prop fell on him, meaning the wheelchair wasn't entirely just for show.
The fake automatic rifle he brandished had a microphone attached to the scope, allowing him to point it at several members of the audience over an extended period of time while still singing his song 'We Know Where You F**king Live'.
According to The San Bernardino Sun, Manson's drummer simulated the sound of gunfire during the stunt.
Following an outcry, the singer has now released a statement in response.
"In an era where mass shootings have become a nearly daily occurrence, this was an act of theatre in an attempt to make a statement about how easily accessible semi-automatic weapons are and how seeing them has become normalised," says Manson.
"My art has always been a reaction to popular culture and my way to make people think about the horrible things that happen in this world. My performance was not meant to be disrespectful or show any insensitivity. The prop microphone I used on stage was handed to me with the approval of a police officer. My empathy goes out to anyone who has been affected by the irresponsible and reprehensible misuse of REAL guns."
Manson has courted controversy for decades and recently blamed the Columbine massacre for 'destroying' his career.
In December, 2015, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people and injured in a San Bernardino mass shooting.
Newshub.
