The Latest: Cornell family cites drug he was prescribed

The Latest on the death of musician Chris Cornell in Detroit (all times local):

5 a.m.

The family of musician Chris Cornell, who was found dead in his Detroit hotel room, issued a statement through an attorney refuting "inferences that Chris knowingly and intentionally" killed himself.

The family said that without toxicology tests completed, they can't be sure what led to his death, or if any substances were involved. According to lawyer Kirk Pasich, Cornell had a prescription for the anti-anxiety drug Ativan, which he said has various side effects.

Cornell's wife, Vicky Cornell, said in the statement that when she spoke to her husband after the Detroit show, he told her he may have taken "an extra Ativan or two" and was slurring his words.

The medical examiner in Detroit said that Cornell killed himself by hanging after performing at a concert. Police told two Detroit newspapers that the singer was found with a band around his neck.

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12:05 a.m.

Chris Cornell, one of the most lauded and respected contemporary lead singers in rock music with his bands Soundgarden and Audioslave, hanged himself Wednesday in a Detroit hotel room, according to the city's medical examiner. He was 52.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said Thursday it completed the preliminary autopsy on Cornell, but that "a full autopsy report has not yet been completed." Police told two Detroit newspapers that the singer was found with a band around his neck.

Cornell's death stunned his family and his die-hard fans, who Cornell just performed for hours earlier at a show in Detroit. He was found dead at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel by a family friend.

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Fekadu reported from New York. AP Entertainment Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody and Associated Press writers Dennis Waszak in New York and David Runk in Detroit contributed to this report.