Marilyn Manson, the singer, went on stage in San Bernardino, Calif.---the same city where 14 people were shot and killed in December 2015---and pretended to shoot the audience on Sunday night.
Sunday, Nov. 5, is also the same day a gunman stormed a church in Texas, killing at least 26 people and wounding dozens.
He moved the fake firearm around, pointing at different areas of the audience.
After facing considerable backlash for the move, Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, issued a statement, saying he’s not backing down for his decision.
It’s an “act of theater,” he stated. “My empathy goes out to anyone who has been affected by the irresponsible and reprehensible misuse of REAL guns,” he wrote.
According to photos taken at the concert, the fake gun had a microphone attached to it.
Earlier in 2017, Manson blamed the school shootings in Columbine in 1999 for a decline in record sales.
Last month, Manson was crushed by a fake gun prop at a concert and was hospitalized.