The sudden death of James Ransone at the age of 46 has left thousands of his fans devastated after it emerged that the ‘The Wire’ actor had committed suicide.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office said Ranson died by suicide on Friday.
While his tragic death came as a shock to his global fans, people who knew about his past have highlighted the injustices the actor was subjected to in his younger years.
Ransone, who played Ziggy Sobotka in The Wire, publicly revealed that he was sexually abused as a teenager by math teacher Timothy Rwalo.
The resulting shame and embarrassment drove him into drug abuse in his 20s, including heroin and alcohol addiction, from which he is said to have gotten sober in 2007.
He was disappointed by the US authorities’ decision to allow his tormentor to continue working with children without facing charges despite him publicly revealing the abuse he suffered at the hands of Rualo.
Investigating authorities believed there was not enough evidence to convict after 29 years.
His fans believe that this unresolved injustice and the ongoing effects of trauma played a major role in his mental health struggles.
Ransone also appeared in the films “It: Chapter Two”, “The Black Phone” and “Black Phone 2”, and in the television shows “Bosch” and “Poker Face”.