Hunt The Dinosaur addresses photo with Kyle Rittenhouse in a statement

On Monday, Hunt The Dinosaur vocalist Hunter Madison posted a photo posing with Kyle Rittenhouse from a gun show in early May in Mesquite, Texas on the deathcore group's Instagram page. 

Shortly after going live, due to backlash from his fans, the photo was removed.

Madison says the removal of the post was prompted by receiving violent messages and threats from other musicians in the metal music community, including those he counted as friends. 

Today, June 12th, Hunt The Dinosaur released a statement regarding photo:

Here's the post y'all have been waiting for: 

I need to address a recent photo on my Instagram that has caused significant controversy and upset. I shared a picture of myself with Kyle Rittenhouse, and while it was posted without any context, it has sparked strong reactions, both positive and negative. 

First and foremost, I want to sincerely apologize for any hurt, anger, or distress this post has caused. It was never my intention to offend or provoke anyone. I understand that the image of Kyle Rittenhouse is highly polarizing and associated with deeply painful events, and I regret not considering the full impact that sharing this picture might have. 

With that being said, there's something else that needs to be brought up about this. I took this post down because within hours of it being posted, my family and I began receiving numerous violent messages and death threats. Many of these came from other musicians in the metal community, and people I had considered to be friends. There's no way I was going to risk the safety of my family and my son because of a picture. 

Unfortunately, we live in a world where people will let their political views get in the way of their friendships, working relationships, and even just dictate the things that they do or do not like. I'm truly shocked at the amount of people that can't divorce the two. And it's ironic that those same people who condemn Rittenhouse for his violent actions are turning around and telling me to "blow my brains out" or that they'll "find where I live" or I should kill myself". 

To be clear, I do not support or endorse Kyle Rittenhouse, nor do I view him as a hero. The absence of context in the post has led to many assumptions about my beliefs and intentions, which are not reflective of who I am. 

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, whether in support or in criticism. Your feedback is invaluable, and I am listening. I hope we can move forward with understanding and open dialogue. 

Sincerely, 
Hunt the Dinosaur