Tony Scott’s family has denied reports that the director – who jumped off a San Pedro bridge on Sunday – was suffering from inoperable brain cancer.
“The family told us it is incorrect that he has inoperable brain cancer,” Craig Harvey, a chief for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, told the Los Angeles Times.
The coroner’s office has not yet determined whether the 68-year-old had any health problems. The investigation into Scott’s death is ongoing, but it is being treated as a suicide.
A witness told the Times that Scott “looked nervous” before he jumped.
“He was on the roadway close to the fence looking around. He was looking around and fumbling with something at his feet,” said David Silva. “I thought it was some extreme-sports guy.”
Silva said that he “paused a couple of seconds and then began to climb the fence. He put his foot on the top of the fence and paused again. And then he threw himself off. I immediately thought, that guy is dead.”
Scott left a suicide note at his office, law enforcement sources said, but police have not revealed what it said. Harvey said the “Top Gun” director also left several “instructional” notes to family and friends.
At the time of his death, Scott (who is the younger brother of acclaimed director Ridley Scott) had recently finished filming “Out of the Furnace,” a drama starring Christian Bale that’s set to be released next year.
