The death of Jak Knight, co-creator and star of the Peacock comedy series Bust Down, has been ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
The autopsy report obtained by People magazine said the comedian died from a gunshot wound on Thursday, July 14.
Urban Hollywood 411 later obtained a copy of the report, which was listed under Knight’s birth name, Jakim Maulana. The report said the 28-year-old performer’s body was found on an embankment with a gunshot wound to the head.
Related Story: Jak Knight Dies – Comedian and Co-Creator of Peacock’s ‘Bust Down’ Was 28
A representative for Knight’s family confirmed his death on Friday.
“Knight’s loved ones ask that their privacy please be respected during this extremely difficult time,” the family’s statement said.
Knight co-created Bust Down, which premiered earlier this year. He starred on the show with Sam Jay, Langston Kerman, and Chris Redd. The series follows a group of friends living dead-end lives with dead-end jobs at a casino in middle America. Knight was also an executive producer on the show.
Among his other credits, Knight played DeVon on the Netflix animated series Big Mouth and was a writer on the show. He was also a writer for Black-ish and Immoral Compass, according to his IMDb page. He additionally served as a co-executive producer and writer on Pause with Sam Jay.
Knight’s Netflix special aired in 2018 as part of the streamer’s Comedy Lineup series featuring up-and-coming comedians.
The actor and comedian was originally from the Seattle area. In 2014, he was named a Comedy Central Comic to Watch.
As news of Knight’s death spread, many tributes were posted on social media.
Peacock said in a statement on Twitter: “We are devastated by the passing of Jak Knight. He was a brilliant comedian, visionary and artist and we were all lucky to experience his greatness. Our hearts are with Jak’s family, friends and community during this heartbreaking time.”
We are devastated by the passing of Jak Knight. He was a brilliant comedian, visionary and artist and we were all lucky to experience his greatness. Our hearts are with Jak's family, friends and community during this heartbreaking time. pic.twitter.com/yQsJLDjFJb
— Peacock (@peacockTV) July 16, 2022
The team behind Big Mouth wrote on the show’s official Twitter account, “A heartbreaking loss for the Big Mouth family. Writer and voice actor for beloved character Devon. An enormous talent. Rest in peace Jak Knight.”
Chance the Rapper tweeted, “RIP Jak Knight. Praying for his friends.”
Comedian Alex Hooper tweeted: “That smile. That’s how I’ll always remember Jak because it was constantly plastered on his beautiful face.”
If you or someone you know needs help, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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