World becomes numb as Linkin Park's Chester found dead, in apparent suicide

Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington, who sold millions of albums with an ever-changing mix of hard rock, hip-hop and rap, was found dead in his home near Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County coroner said. He was 41.

Coroner spokesman Brian Elias today said authorities are investigating Bennington's death as an apparent suicide at Palos Verdes Estates, a small coastal city near Los Angeles but no additional details are available.

Band co-founder and producer Mike Shinoda said on Twitter he was "shocked and saddened."

"Chester Bennington was an artist of extraordinary talent and charisma, and a human being with a huge heart and a caring soul. Our thoughts and prayers are with his beautiful family, his band-mates and his many friends," Warner Bros. CEO and Chairman Cameron Stang said in a statement.

The Grammy Award-winning group sold 10 million copies of their 2000 debut, "Hybrid Theory," and then another 4 million with 2003's multiplatinum "Meteora." Both albums explored feelings of frustration and fury.

Bennington's voice could soar with piercing strength or descend to a whisper. Rolling Stone once called it a "shrapnel-laced howl that sounds like it comes from someone twice his size."

The band also sold millions with its remix album, "Reanimation," and its mash-up record with Jay-Z, "Collision Course." They won Grammys for best hard rock performance in 2001 for "Crawling" and best rap/sung collaboration for "Numb/Encore" in 2005. Linkin Park was on tour and had a show at New York's Citi Field scheduled for next week with Blink 182.
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Here's how Chester Bennington's death left the Twitter world numb

Chester Bennington, lead singer for rock band Linkin Park, has died and his death is being investigated as a possible suicide, authorities said on Thursday.

Responding to a call, police found Bennington dead Thursday morning at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, Xinhua reported while quoting Brian Elias, chief of operations for the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

The death is ironic in a way as it coincided with his good friend and another rock legend Chris Cornell's 53rd birthday. Chester had recently paid tribute to Cornell, who also committed suicide back in May, by singing Hallelujah.

The singer battled addiction to drugs and alcohol over the years and acknowledged having contemplated suicide as a youth after being sexually molested.

Founded in 1996, Linkin Park made seven albums and had hits with songs including In the End and Crawling. Their latest release, One More Light debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.

The song Leave out all the rest with the lyrics When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done and help me leave behind some reasons to be missed makes more sense now as many fans have posted the lyrics all over social media platforms.
The twice-married Bennington is survived by six children.
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