On Saturday night Panic! At The Disco announced the departure of guitarist Kenny Harris after allegations surfaced of sexual misconduct of an under-aged girl. According to an article from the Daily Mail, allegations surfaced on Twitter after a user, Donasnooze, described interactions with the singer when she was 16.
The band has not confirmed that the allegations are the reason for letting Harris go, but stated through their official Twitter that he no longer going to perform with the band for “personal reasons.”
The allegations gained attention on Twitter after Donasnooze, who’s handle named as Ashley, shared part of a Snapchat conversation she had with Harris in 2016. In a series of tweets, she lays out how she initially sent the guitarist a selfie, not expecting a reply. To her surprise, the singer responded and began asking for more selfies.
According to Ashley about a week before she and a friend were going to attend a Panic! At The Disco concert, she asked Harris if he would throw her a guitar pick from the page. At this point, she says he allegedly tried to convince her to send him pictures in exchange for the guitar pick.
When she asked him what he meant, Harris said to “surprise him” along with flirty emojis.
Not long after this Ashley says the singer stopped messaging her when it became obvious she did not intend to send him any more pictures.
In response to her initial tweet, other Twitter users came forward with their own experiences of Harris allegedly contacting them when they were underage.
Harris, who is married with a son, was added to the band in 2016 when the band went on tour for their fourth album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare To Die. As of now, the only full-time member of Panic At The Disco is lead singer Brandon Urie, who is a founding member.
Urie formed the band in 2004 with childhood friends, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith and Brent Wilson. The band released its debut album A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out in 2005, going double platinum. Since then, the band fired Wilson in 2006, and Ross in 2009. In 2013, the band announced the departure of Smith, left to deal with health issues and substance abuse.
Harris’ departure comes at a bad time for the band, who just released their sixth album Pray For The Wicked, in June. The band is also scheduled to go on tour in Australia, North America and more.
Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz
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