Acacia Strain Vocalist Condemns Dayton Shooter Reported Wearing Band Hoodie

Early in the morning of Sunday, August 4th, a gunman murdered nine people and injured 27 others before being shot and killed by the police. While committing this heinous act, he was reportedly wearing an Acacia Strain sweatshirt bearing lyrics from the deathcore veterans' 2010 song "Ramirez," leading singer Vincent Bennett to quickly repudiate any connection to the mass shooting and condemn such violence.

"What happened in Dayton is horrifying," Bennett posted via Twitter. "Even more so to know that the shooter was wearing a TAS hoodie is making me sick. There is no excuse for this. Anyone who knows anything knows we don't condone this behavior. No one has the right to take another's life." 

He followed that up with a promise that the band "will be taking action to help the families of the victims however we can."

All of this came as a response to journalist Jim Heath pulling out the "blame heavy metal" card when the shooter's clothes were reported on. "Suspect in #Dayton shooting was wearing shorts with a black sweatshirt that read: 'No heart to fear, no soul to steal,' Health noted, adding a jab at the end with: "The slogan is believed to be from a hateful and vengeful song called Ramirez by The Acacia Strain, a metalcore band."

Most of the responses to Health's tweet expressed sarcastic disbelief that folks are still pinning these types of atrocities on music and other forms of entertainment. Click through below to see the comments.