HiTech member King Milo has been accused of abuse in an open letter whose claims have not been independently verified.
After an open letter circulating online accused King Milo of Detroit ghettotech group HiTech of abusive acts including sexual assault, the act pulled out of their Friday, July 11 performance at The Majestic Theatre.
According to the open letter, which has now been signed over 100 times, a previously submitted New York police report connects King Milo (real name Shawn Thompson) to dropped misdemeanor charges of harassment, assault, and unlawful imprisonment. Ditto for an NYPD statement and supporting deposition, as well as screenshots of private messages in which Thompson seems to acknowledge the behavior.
The letter’s claims have not been independently verified. Its anonymous author notes that, “Out of care and legal responsibility, we are not able to speak about any individual case.”
HiTech were nonetheless forced to cancel their Friday gig, which was part of an event dubbed Red Bull B2B that was sponsored by the energy drink brand. “Detroit we won’t be able to make it tonight but our brother fullbodydurag is stepping in to hold us down,” the group shared in a statement via Instagram.
According to the open letter, a local community worker contacted Thompson in January to invite him to participate in a “facilitated restorative justice process,” writing that “the goal is not to villainize you, but to offer repair for [the survivor] and offer you both the tools and support you need to move on from this with dignity and healing.” It alleges that Thompson declined. The anonymous author notes that their purpose is not to cancel Thompson, but for him to admit wrongdoing, pledge not to retaliate against anyone who comes forward with further claims, and redistribute earnings toward survivor resources.
HiTech previously played Glastonbury in the UK, and their summer tour is slated to take them to DOUR Festival in Belgium, MIDI Festival in France, and Paléo Festival in Switzerland in the coming days.