Austin Majors, a former child actor known for his role in the popular TV show NYPD Blue, has died at the age of 27 while residing in a homeless shelter in Los Angeles.
Although an autopsy is yet to be completed, it is believed that Majors passed away on Saturday night and final toxicology results will take several months.
It is suspected that the actor may have accidentally consumed a lethal dose of fentanyl, according to TMZ.
The family of Majors has released a statement to the media, remembering the young actor as a “loving, artistic, brilliant, and kind human being”.
They added that “Austin took great joy and pride in his acting career. He was an active Eagle Scout and graduated Salutatorian in High School. He went on to graduate from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a passion for directing and music producing.”
Majors’ sister Kali fondly remembers growing up on set with her brother, volunteering for “Kids With A Cause” events, and backpacking with him.
Majors played the character of Theo Sipowicz, son of the show’s main protagonist Detective Andy Sipowicz, portrayed by Dennis Franz. He won the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Television Series for his role in NYPD Blue and was nominated for Best Performance in a Voiceover Role for his work in Treasure Planet.
One of the most memorable moments in the series was when Theo walked in on actress Charlotte Ross’ character while she was in the bathroom and getting into the shower, causing a significant number of complaints against ABC network.
As a result of the incident, the network was fined $1.4 million (£1.2m) by the FCC.
Austin Majors’ sudden death has caused shockwaves across the entertainment industry, with tributes pouring in from fans and colleagues. His family’s statement concludes with the words “Austin was the kind of son, brother, grandson, and nephew that made us proud and we will miss him deeply forever.”
RIP.
