Robin Williams took his own life at his California home, police have confirmed.
Marin County Sheriff’s Lt. Keith Boyd said Robin Williams, 63, had been treated for depression and killed himself by hanging.
Robin Williams was last seen alive by his wife, Susan Schneider, on Sunday evening, and was found dead at about noon on Monday, August 11, Lt. Keith Boyd said.
Robin Williams had been treated for depression and killed himself by hanging (photo Getty Images)
Tributes have poured forth from President Barack Obama and others.
Keith Boyd said Susan Schneider saw Robin Williams before she went to bed the evening before and left the house at 10:30 the next morning, believing him still to be asleep in another room.
Just before noon California time, Robin Williams’ personal assistant became concerned when he did not respond to knocks on the door, Keith Boyd said. The assistant entered the room and found the actor dead and cool to the touch.
After a post-mortem examination on Tuesday morning, investigators determined the preliminary cause of death to be asphyxia by hanging, but officials were waiting on the results of toxicology testing before making a final ruling.
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Fox News host Shepard Smith branded Robin Williams “a coward” just hours after he was found dead in his California home in an apparent suicide.
Discussing the actor’s legacy, Shepard Smith described his death as “cowardly”, citing a quote from Robin Williams in which the actor described his children as an inspiration.
“One of the children he so loved, one of the children grieving tonight because their father killed himself in a fit of depression,” Shepard Smith said.
“You could love three little things so much, watch them grow, they’re in their mid-20s, and they’re inspiring you, and exciting you, and they fill you up with the kind of joy you could never have known.”
Fox News host Shepard Smith branded Robin Williams “a coward” just hours after he was found dead in his California home in an apparent suicide (photo Getty Images)
“And yet, something inside you is so horrible or you’re such a coward or whatever the reason that you decide that you have to end it. Robin Williams, at 63, did that today.”
Shepard Smith then claimed Robin Williams “probably had more fun most people I’ve ever known” before moving on to a segment about recreational drugs.
The anchor’s comments sparked a strong reaction on social media with some viewers accusing him of being insensitive and lacking sympathy towards Robin Williams who had been battling with depression.
Shepard Smith later issued an apology for his poor choice of words, adding that he did not mean to call Robin Williams a “coward” and used the word “innocently” in the hour-long TV special dedicated to his career.
Robin Williams, 63, had recently checked into the Hazelden Addiction Treatment Centre to “find tune and focus”.
“The last thing I would ever suggest about a man I know nothing about personally, is that he’s a coward,” Shepard Smith told TVNewser.
“That goes against everything I am. If those words, I used so innocently, offended his family, from the bottom of my heart, I could not be more sorry.”
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President Barack Obama has led tributes to Robin Williams, who has been found dead, aged 63, in an apparent suicide.
Marin County Police in California said Robin Williams was pronounced dead at his home after officials responded to an emergency call around noon local time.
Robin Williams was famous for films such as Good Morning Vietnam and won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting.
His publicist said he had been “battling severe depression”.
President Barack Obama has led tributes to Robin Williams, who has been found dead in an apparent suicide (photo Getty Images)
Barack Obama was one of many offering condolences to Robin Williams’ family saying: “Williams arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.
“He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets.”
In the past Robin Williams had talked, and even joked, about his struggles with alcohol and drugs.
The actor had recently returned to a rehabilitation centre to “fine-tune” his sobriety, the Los Angeles Times reported in July.
The local Sheriff’s office said Robin Williams was found unconscious and not breathing at his home near Tiburon, north of San Francisco.
“At this time, the Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made,” police said in a statement.
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Robin Williams has been found dead in an apparent suicide at his California home, aged 63.
Marin County Police in California said he was pronounced dead at his home shortly after officials responded to an emergency call around noon local time.
“Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late,” said the comedian’s spokeswoman Mara Buxbaum.
“This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”
Robin Williams was famous for such films as Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society and won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting.
In the past he had talked, and even joked, about his struggles with alcohol and drugs.
Robin Williams had recently returned to a rehabilitation centre to “fine-tune” his sobriety, the Los Angeles Times reported in July.
“At this time, the Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made,” police said in a statement.
In a statement, Robin Williams’ wife, Susan Schneider, said she was “utterly heartbroken”.
“On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”
Robin Williams has been found dead in an apparent suicide at his California home (photo Getty Images)
Robin Williams had three children from previous marriages: son Zachary, 31, daughter Zelda, 25, and son Cody, 22. He married Susan Schneider, his third wife, in 2011.
Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1951, Robin Williams joined the drama club in high school and was accepted into Juilliard School in New York, the prestigious American academy for the arts.
There, he was encouraged by a teacher to pursue comedy.
Robin Williams was first known for his zany portrayal of an alien in the 1970s TV show Mork and Mindy, a character first seen in the sitcom Happy Days.
He was a regular stand-up comedian while continuing to act in such films as Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire and as the voice of the genie in Aladdin.
While many of his roles were in comedies, Robin Williams won the Oscar in 1998 for best supporting actor as a therapist in Good Will Hunting.
President Barack Obama was one of many offering condolences to his family when he said: “Williams arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.
“He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets.”
On August 11, 2014, at approximately 11:55 AM, Marin County Communications received a 9-1-1 telephone call reporting a male adult had been located unconscious and not breathing inside his residence in unincorporated Tiburon, California.
The Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Tiburon Fire Department and Southern Marin Fire Protection District were dispatched to the incident with emergency personnel arriving on scene at 12:00 PM. The male subject, pronounced deceased at 12:02 PM has been identified as Robin McLaurin Williams, a 63 year old resident of unincorporated Tiburon, California.
An investigation into the cause, manner, and circumstances of the death is currently underway by the Investigations and Coroner Divisions of the Sheriff’s Office.
Preliminary information developed during the investigation indicates Mr. Williams was last seen alive at his residence, where he resides with his wife, at approximately 10:00 PM on August 10, 2014.
A forensic examination is currently scheduled for August 12, 2014 with subsequent toxicology testing to be conducted.
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