Thomas Jefferson Byrd , Shot Dead. The 70-year-old actor was killed in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday. He was hit by “multiple gunshot wounds to the back,” a police spokesperson has confirmed. According to the local police, officers were asked to respond to a “person injured call” at around 1:45 a.m. . Upon arrival, they discovered a “male lying unresponsive at the location,” and he was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Following the news, Jefferson’s frequent director, Spike Lee, took to Instagram to pay tribute to the actor. I’m so sad to announce the tragic murder of our beloved brother Thomas Jefferson Byrd last night in Atlanta, Georgia, Spike Lee, via Instagram. Viola Davis also said she was “very sorry” about the news

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