'Top Gun' Director, Beverly Hills Resident Commits Suicide

Famed British film director and Beverly Hills resident Tony Scott, known for big-budget movies such as Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, Days of Thunder and Enemy of the State, was identified Sunday evening as the man who jumped to his death from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro.

A passerby reported seeing a man jump from the bridge around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, said Lt. Joseph Bale of the coroner's office. The jumper was later identified as 68-year-old Anthony David Scott, Bale said.

A desk officer at the Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division confirmed to City News Service that a 911 call was received by police around 12:35 p.m. from a witness reporting a jumper from the Vincent Thomas Bridge.

Scott had been driving a black Toyota Prius and stopped in the eastbound lanes before he jumped, according to the California Highway Patrol. His shoes could be seen floating in the water below.

Divers searched for Scott's body in the San Pedro Channel, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Bale said the remains were recovered just before 3 p.m.

One Catalina ferry was delayed for a short time as a result of the apparent suicide, firefighters at the scene reported. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was called to the scene to assist with the search.

Scott apparently climbed a fence on the south side of the bridge and leaped off without hesitation, the Daily Breeze reported Sunday evening. A suicide note was found inside Scott's Prius, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Jennifer Osburn told the Breeze. There was no immediate information available concerning the contents of the reported suicide note.

Osburn told CNS that in addition to providing a helicopter to assist in the search, the Coast Guard was also responsible for the oversight of port traffic while the recovery operation was ongoing.

"We had a safety boat out there, because we had to close the port for a couple of hours," Osburn said. "It affected three boats that couldn't go in or out of the port."

The search for Scott was jointly conducted by the Port of Los Angeles police, the L.A. fire department, Coast Guard and the CHP.

LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey told CNS the fire department wrapped up its search operations shortly after 5 p.m.

Scott's body was recovered by a Port police dive team, according to a LAPD desk officer from Harbor Division. His body was taken to a Wilmington dock and then turned over to the coroner.

CNS contacted Scott's agents, publicists and local production company for comment.

"I can confirm that Tony Scott has indeed passed away," Katherine Rowe, one of Scott's publicists, wrote to CNS in an email. "The family asks that their privacy be respected at this time."

Scott is the younger brother of Ridley Scott, also a famed director and producer, with whom he co-produced hit CBS dramas The Good Wife and Numb3rs.

Director Ron Howard posted this message Sunday night on Twitter: "No more Tony Scott movies. Tragic Day."

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