Former Fleetwood Mac Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham Attacked by Alleged Stalker

Lindsey Buckingham, the lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of rock band Fleetwood Mac, was attacked by a woman who threw an unknown substance at him in Santa Monica, California, on Wednesday morning, according to multiple reports confirmed by the Los Angeles Police Department. The incident occurred as Buckingham, aged 76, arrived for a scheduled appointment and entered a building, at which point the woman threw an unknown liquid from a container at him. Buckingham was not injured in the attack. No arrests had been made as of the time of reporting, though authorities indicated they expected an arrest soon. The LAPD Threat Management Unit confirmed the incident to The Hollywood Reporter and is working with the Santa Monica Police Department on the investigation. To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, police declined to provide further details beyond confirming the facts. „The Los Angeles Police Department, Threat Management Unit, is working with the Santa Monica Police Department to investigate the incident. To protect the integrity of the open and ongoing investigation, no further comment will be provided, at this time.” — LAPD via The Hollywood Reporter

Suspect known to Buckingham, believed to have tracked his schedule Authorities described the suspect as a woman with a history of stalking Buckingham, and investigators believe she had prior knowledge of the exact time and location of his appointment. Santa Monica Police identified her to NBC4 Investigates as a suspected stalker, and the LAPD separately confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that she had a history of stalking the musician. Police noted that the woman's identity is known to investigators, and that there had been previous incidents between the two. According to reports citing Buckingham's prior legal filings, the woman had allegedly been stalking him since 2021, repeatedly calling his home and those of his family members, and leaving threatening voicemail messages. She also reportedly hung a photo collage of herself and Buckingham on his mailbox. In December 2024, a judge issued a restraining order against the woman, requiring her to stay at least 100 meters from Buckingham, his wife, and his son, and prohibiting any form of contact. It was not immediately clear whether that restraining order remained in effect at the time of the April 1 incident.

A date dispute: March 25 or April 1? There is a discrepancy in reporting over the precise date of the attack. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the LAPD confirmed the incident occurred on Wednesday, March 25, while multiple other outlets cited the date as Wednesday, April 1. The Portuguese outlet Jornal Expresso also cited March 25 as the date of the incident, consistent with The Hollywood Reporter's account. Rolling Stone and other outlets reported the attack as occurring on Wednesday morning without specifying a date beyond April 1. The LAPD statement did not publicly clarify the date discrepancy, and Buckingham's representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment from multiple outlets. The investigation remains open, and police have not publicly named the suspect.

New solo album nearly done, Nicks reconciliation hinted The attack comes at a professionally active moment for Buckingham, who recently shared updates on new music in a video posted to his Instagram account. „I am still very, very grounded in my creative life. I've been working on a new solo album for the last couple of years, which is one song away from being finished.” — Lindsey Buckingham via Rolling Stone Buckingham also mentioned that a Fleetwood Mac documentary may arrive in 2026. In 2025, Buckingham and fellow Fleetwood Mac alumna Stevie Nicks reissued their 1973 debut album Buckingham Nicks for the first time in decades, fueling speculation about a broader artistic reconciliation between the two. „I think on a more general level, just the energy in terms of what Buckingham Nicks did to sort of create a resurgence of connection between Stevie and myself, I think on a larger scale, that seems to be something that's in the air. And what that translates to specifically, I wouldn't want to speculate yet. But I believe with all my heart, it will translate to something good, and something wonderful, and something needed and something extremely appropriate.” — Lindsey Buckingham via Rolling Stone Buckingham served as lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of Fleetwood Mac from 1975, rejoined after a first departure in 1987, and was ultimately dismissed from the band in 2018 following a dispute involving drummer Mick Fleetwood and other band members, which led to a lawsuit. Fleetwood Mac, formed in London in 1967, became one of the best-selling music acts in history. Buckingham and Nicks joined the band in the 1970s. The band's 1977 album Rumours is among the best-selling albums in rock history, according to multiple source articles. Buckingham was dismissed from the band in 2018 following a dispute centered around British band founder and drummer Mick Fleetwood. The band ceased activity in 2022. Buckingham has been married to photographer Kristen Messner since 2000, and the couple has three children, according to reporting by Der Tagesspiegel and RP Online.

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