Actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd, who acted in several Spike Lee movies, was killed in Atlanta.
According to Variety, authorities arrived at the scene of his murder on Saturday around 1:45 a.m. after a call came in about an injured person who was also unresponsive and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his back. He was later pronounced dead after Emergency Medical Services around at the scene.
Detectives are investigating the shooting with Atlanta Police Department telling Variety it is an open investigation.
Byrd was best known for his appearances in several of Spike Lee’s movies including Clockers, Get on the Bus, Bamboozled, Chi-Raq, Red Hook Summer, Girl 6, and Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. Byrd was also in Antoine Fuqua’s Brooklyn’s Finest, Jamie Foxx’s Ray Charles biopic, Ray, and F. Gary Gray’s Set It Off.
Spike Lee honored Byrd’s life on Instagram on Sunday saying, “I’m so sad to announce the tragic murder of our beloved brother Thomas Jefferson Byrd last night in Atlanta, Georgia.” Lee added, “Tom is my guy. Here below you see him as the frightening character Errol Barnes in CLOCKERS. Brother Byrd also did his thang in my joints — CHI-RAQ, SWEET BLOOD OF JESUS, RED HOOK SUMMER, BAMBOOZLED, HE GOT GAME, GET ON THE BUS, GIRL 6 and CLOCKERS. May we all wish condolences and blessings to his family. Rest in peace brother Byrd.”
