Stephen’ tWitch’ Boss, the famed DJ on The Ellen Degeneres show, has died at age 40.
Per a TMZ report, Boss died by suicide from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Tuesday.
Boss was a gifted Hip-Hop dancer and appeared as a contestant on MTV’s The Wade Robson Project before becoming a runner-up on Star Search.
In 2008, he got his break into the spotlight as the runner-up in the American So You Think You Can Dance.
From 2014 onwards, he was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a guest DJ and is one of the more recognizable personalities on the show, which ended this year.
He was also featured in Ellen’s Game of Games as a sidekick to DeGeneres.
Stephen’s wife, Allison Holker Boss, confirmed his death in a statement.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” His 34-year-old wife said in a statement to PEOPLE, continuing:
“Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.”
She requested privacy as she mourns with the three children he is survived by.
Tributes pour in for Stephen “tWitch” Boss
Many fans of tWitch and those who knew him celebrated his life and mourned with heart-warming tributes following his tragic death.
A longtime fan paid tribute to tWitch by sharing one of his dance videos on Twitter.
Actress Alyssa Milano also shared a clip of the late star performing while paying her condolences.
Comedian and TV host Loni Love shared a video of tWitch on his 40th birthday earlier this year and wrote that she is devastated by the news of his death.
TV commentator Jawn Murray shared a photo of himself with Stephen on Twitter and referred to the late dancer as a “genuinely good guy.”
Stephen Boss’s wife reportedly rushed to the police station after he went missing
Per TMZ, Stephen’s wife, Allison Holker, rushed into an LAPD station on Tuesday and frantically told them that Stephen had left home without his car, which she reportedly describes as something he typically would not do.
The report states that local police responded to a shooting at an LA hotel and found Stephen deceased with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
His death and the events leading up to it are still under investigation.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.