Investigations were under way today into the suicide of British film director Tony Scott, the man behind such hits as “Top Gun,” who jumped to his death from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro over the weekend.
(Chrissy Olson/Flickr)
The probes were being carried out by the Los Angeles Police Department and the L.A. County coroner, whose office was scheduled to conduct an autopsy on Scott’s body today, said coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter.
The 68-year-old Scott, a Beverly Hills resident, killed himself Sunday Aug. 19, leaving a suicide note whose contents were not divulged.
A passerby reported seeing a man jump from the bridge around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Lt. Joseph Bale of the coroner’s office told City News Service.
A 911 call was received by the Los Angeles Police Department around 12:35 p.m. from a witness reporting a jumper from the Vincent Thomas Bridge, according to a desk officer at the LAPD’s Harbor Station.
Scott had been driving a black Toyota Prius and stopped in the eastbound lanes shortly before he jumped, according to the California Highway Patrol.
His shoes could be seen floating in the water below.
Divers spent several hours searching for Scott’s body in the San Pedro channel, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Bale said Scott’s body was recovered just before 3 p.m.
One Catalina ferry was delayed for a short time as a result of the suicide, firefighters at the scene reported.
Scott apparently climbed a fence on the south side of the bridge and leaped off without hesitation. A note with contact information was found inside Scott’s vehicle, and a suicide note was later found in his office, Winter said.
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Jennifer Osburn told CNS that the Coast Guard focused on the oversight of port traffic while the recovery operation was ongoing.
The search for Scott was jointly conducted by the Port of Los Angeles police, the LAFD, the CHP and the Coast Guard.
Scott’s body was recovered by a Port police dive team, according to a desk officer from the LAPD’s Harbor Station. His body was taken to a Wilmington dock and then turned over to the coroner.
Known for his faded red baseball cap, Scott and his older brother, director Ridley Scott, co-produced the hit CBS dramas “The Good Wife” and
“Numb3rs.”
Scott was married three times. He leaves behind his wife, actress Donna Wilson, and their two boys.
“I can confirm that Tony Scott has indeed passed away,” Katherine Rowe, one of Scott’s publicists, said. “The family asks that their privacy be
respected at this time.”
Director Ron Howard posted this message on Twitter: “No more Tony Scott movies. Tragic Day.”
Scott was perhaps best known for “Top Gun,” and a sequel is reported in the works. He also helmed “Beverly Hills Cop Two,” “Enemy of The State,”
“Days of Thunder,” “Crimson Tide,” “Man on Fire, ” ”Deja Vu” and “Unstoppable.”
Ridley and Tony Scott operated Scott Free Productions, which produced the CBS dramas “Numb3rs” and “The Good Wife.”
They were working together on “Killing Lincoln,” based on the best seller by Bill O’Reilly.
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