Bobby J.Brown, the actor many viewers will remember as Baltimore police officer Bobby Brown in HBO’s The Wire, has died aged 62.
Brown passed away on Tuesday, Feb 24 after becoming trapped in a barn fire. The Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the cause of death was diffuse thermal injury and smoke inhalation, and the incident was ruled accidental.
His daughter, Reina, described the moments she first learned about the tragedy, explaining she was jolted awake by a call around 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 that warned her a blaze had broken out.
She told PEOPLE,
“ “I was sound asleep. I had gone to bed about two hours before,” she reveals. “My little sister [was] freaking out, saying that Dad’s gone and that he got caught up in a barn fire, and I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ “
She went on to explain how she stepped outside to make sure she wasn’t dreaming and to try to steady herself.
“I literally went outside and put both my feet on my front walk,” she said. “It’s cold, and I stood out in my bare feet in a nightgown because I wanted to make sure I was really awake. I did that to make sure I was in actual reality and not dreaming this up, and then I did it for a grounding exercise. I couldn’t believe it. I was like, this isn’t real. And I still don’t even feel like it’s real.”
Reina also said that when the fire first started, her father called for a relative to bring a fire extinguisher, believing he could contain it before it spread.
As the family continues to come to terms with the loss, Reina shared that the shock is still settling in, and spoke about what has been helping her get through the days since.
“Everybody is still trying to process it,” she admitted. ”It’s been difficult for all of us.”
She added that her faith has been a stabilising force during the grief.
“I’m his oldest, and I’m also one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I will say, it’s my faith that’s keeping me sane right now.”
Remembering her father, Reina described him as someone who made a lasting impact on those around him.
“My dad was an amazing human being,” she shared. “He was super awesome. He was a pillar in the community, and he’s going to be missed by a lot of people.”
Brown’s agent, Albert Bramante, also praised the actor in a statement, highlighting both his ability and his character.
He approached his work with a discipline and a passion that were truly inspiring to witness.”
“While his career included many notable performances, it was his unwavering dedication to the craft of acting that defined him as an artist,” Bramante added. “We are deeply saddened by this loss and ask for privacy for his family and loved ones during this time.”
A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Brown appeared in a wide range of TV productions across his career, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Homicide: Life on the Street, in addition to HBO projects such as The Wire, The Corner and We Own This City.
He also worked behind the camera, directing two documentaries: Off the Chain, about the abuse of American pit bull terriers, and Tear the Roof Off: The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic.