Actor Eddie Hassell was shot dead in Grand Paire, Texas, on Sunday night in an apparent car-jacking. He was 30.
The Texan native had been acting since he was 11 years old, and it was Hassell’s manager who first confirmed the news of his death to Variety.
The Grand Praire police responded to a call of shots fired at 1:50 am on Sunday morning before finding the Surface and Devious Maids actor suffering from gunshot wounds.
The police say they rendered first aid to the actor and transported him to a hospital where he was unfortunately pronounced dead. They did not state if there were any other victims.
The cops have said the motive is still under investigation but have confirmed that a car was taken from the scene, which was later recovered, which has added to the rumors that Hassell was the victim of a car-jacking.
The police want public help in Eddie Hassell murder
Investigators are asking for assistance from the public and have offered a cash reward of $2,500 for any information that leads to an arrest in the case.
The incident is still under investigation.
Hassell was born in 1990 in Corsicana, Texas. He found fame playing Mark Ruffalo’s son in the 2010 movie The Kids are All Right. He won further acclaim by playing Phil Nance on NBC’s sci-fi series Surface. He also had an important role as Eddie Suarez in the comedy-drama series Devious Maids.
Tributes flooded in for Eddie Hassell on social media
Fellow actor Gary Cairns led the tributes on Twitter when he wrote: “R.I.P. Eddie Hassell… Tragic. So talented and full of life. You’ll be missed, my friend.”
Cairns followed his tweet with a tribute on Instagram, where he called Hassell a “great guy” and also issued some compelling advice, “This is why I praise people when they’re alive because WE ARE NOT GUARANTEED TOMORROW.”
Texan actress Allie Gonino also took to Twitter to express her condolences. The Lying Game star wrote: “This is so devastating… A beautiful talent taken too soon.” She also sent Hassell’s family and friends her heart and thoughts.
A fan of Hassell’s work on Surface wrote: “RIP #EddieHassell so good on #Surface and many other shows,” before adding that those responsible deserve the “most harsh punishment.”
Rest in peace, Eddie Hassell.
The acting world, along with legions of fans, is also paying tribute to legendary James Bond actor Sean Connery after the Scotsman passed away over the weekend. The 90-year-old Oscar winner reportedly died at his home in the Bahamas.
Last week, former American Idol contestant Nikki McKibbin died after suffering an aneurysm at just 42 years old. She had also appeared on Fear Factor and Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.