Cannibal Corpse Guitarist Breaks Into Home & Fights Deputy While Stockpiles of Ammo Explode in F

December 11, 2018 | by James Greene, Jr.

Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O'Brien was arrested in Tampa last night and charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault or battery and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon. O'Brien, 53, broke into a Northdale area home on Windflower Circle at approximately 6:57 p.m., undeterred by the two people inside commanding him to vacate immediately. Instead, O'Brien knocked one of the residents over and dashed into their backyard, where deputies later found him. Upon their arrival, O'Brien charged one of the deputies with a knife; the officer subdued O'Brien with an electronic control device.

Simultaneously, O'Brien's own home, less than .5 miles away at 16311 Norwood Drive, was ablaze. A neighbor called 911 upon spotting flames. When Hillsborough County Fire Rescue arrived, O'Brien allegedly fled the scene. The fire was difficult for authorities to control as O'Brien's home contained numerous boxes of ammunition, which were exploding during the intense heat, as well as several military grade flame throwers. So far, O'Brien has not been charged with anything relating to his own house fire.

Pat O'Brien joined Cannibal Corpse in 1997 and has played on every one of their albums since, including 1998's Gallery of Suicide, 2009's Evisceration Plague, and 2014's A Skeletal Domain. His crimes coincide with the group's announcement that they'll be joining the North American leg of Slayer's farewell tour.

Let this be a lesson — keep all your military grade flame throwers outside.