Chester Bennington, the lead singer of rock band Linkin Park, was found dead Thursday morning. He was 41.
Bennington hanged himself in his Los Angeles home, TMZ reports. He is survived by his wife and six children.
Bennington suffered from drug and alcohol addiction since youth after his parents divorced and after years of sexual abuse from an older friend, he said in a 2008 interview.
He joined Linkin Park in 1999, a year before the band released its debut album, Hybrid Theory, which went on to sell more than 11 million copies in the United States and was one of the best efforts in blending hip-hop and rock. The band followed with Meteora, which sold another six million copies. The band just released an album — One More Light — in May.
Bennington was a good friend of Chris Cornell, which committed suicide in May. Today would’ve been Cornell’s 53rd birthday, as TMZ points out. “I can’t imagine a world without you in it,” Bennington said in an open letter. “I pray you find peace in the next life.”
Rest in peace, Chester.
Shocked and heartbroken, but it’s true. An official statement will come out as soon as we have one.
— Mike Shinoda (@mikeshinoda) July 20, 2017
