Danity Kane Breakup Statement: Dawn Richard Blamed For Group’s Split After Studio Fight

The ladies of Danity Kane are once again calling it quits, just two months after completing their successful “No Filter” reunion tour. The group's first breakup in 2008 was the decision of their creator Sean "Diddy" Combs. But in a joint statement released Friday, Aubrey O’Day and Shannon Bex blast the third group member, Dawn Richard, for causing the dissension that led to the group’s second implosion.

The group had a dramatic start to the week, with TMZ reporting that Richard and O’Day were involved in a physical altercation on Monday in a Los Angeles recording studio. In their statement, O'Day confirms that Dawn punched her in the back of the head and Bex goes on to supports these claims. Aubrey filed a battery report, and she and Richard quickly unfollowed each other on Twitter and Instagram in the days following the incident.

Danity Kane fans were hopeful the reported tiff would be resolved among the ladies. Some even believed it to be a simple publicity stunt. But with the release of their statement, O’Day and Bex confirmed the group's split and the details of the studio altercation.

Speaking about the fight, O’Day said she did not instigate Richard’s attack on her:

During a recent group meeting, a business conversation took a turn for the worst when my group member punched me in the back of my head while I was speaking to another associate. To be clear,she was not physically engaged or threatened prior to her attack on me. This is the same information I provided to the police, and witnesses also corroborated this account of the incident.

I cannot condone or excuse any form of physical violence, particularly at the hands of someone I Considered family. Disagreements happen. But a war of words and ideas should never end in physical aggression.

Bex was also explicit about her disappointment in Richard and the role she thinks she played in the group’s current issues, a notable break from the more reserved role she typically assumes in the group. Bex said the following about what led to the breakup:

As for the actions that have brought us to this broken ending, I cannot speak for anyone or explain their internal struggles that prompted this heartbreaking sequence of events. All I know is what I have seen. I did not witness a shouting match, a cat fight or a brawl. I witnessed a single direct punch.

She went on to specifically blame Richard for much of her frustration during the group's brief reunion, including an excerpt from a journal entry she wrote detailing her problems with her.

During the lengthy statement, the two ladies thanked Danity Kane’s fans several times for supporting the group’s brief reunion. In the letter’s closing paragraph, O'Day and Bex appeared to leave room for the possibility of reconciling with Richard. But their words hint that it may be a long time off. "We still remain committed to the idea that talented women can come together to create something bigger than themselves. When that moment happens, true history will be made," the girls said.

Danity Kane was formed in 2005 on the hit MTV reality show "Making the Band." Before being disbanded on national TV in 2008, the girls scored two No. 1 albums with their self-titled debut in 2006 and "Welcome to the Dollhouse" in 2008. Both albums were certified platinum.

The group's original lineup included Richard, O'Day, Bex, Aundrea Fimbres and D. Woods. Fimbres returned to the group for the first part of the reunion last year. However, she announced in May that she would be leaving upon the completion of the the girls' "No Filter" tour, saying she planned to start a family with her fiance Joey Perez.

D. Woods was the only original member not to participate in the reunion project.