Michael K. Williams Cause of Death Drug-Related or Was a Foul Play Involved?
Michael K. Williams, who rose to fame on "The Wire" as Omar Little, has died. He was 54.
Law enforcement sources confirmed to multiple news outlets the passing of Williams. Per the insiders, first responders found him in his Brooklyn penthouse on Monday afternoon.
The 54-year-old actor was reportedly discovered unconscious in the dining room of his pad. After finding his body, authorities suspected that Michael K. Williams' cause of death is drug overdose as they found heroin on the kitchen table.
Initially, his nephew found him before 2:00 p.m on Monday, calling cops after seeing an "unresponsive and cold" man. At 2:12 p.m, the responders pronounced him dead.
While questions about foul play emerged, the authorities clarified that there was nothing suspicious about his death.
"No foul play indicated," a police source said. "No forced entry, the apartment was in order."
Meanwhile, a representative of the late actor confirmed Williams' death in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
"It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams," spokesperson Marianna Shafran said. "They ask for your privacy while grieving this unsurmountable loss."
Rest in Peace, Michael K. Williams
Before his tragic and untimely passing, Williams still managed to enter the 2021 Emmy Award after he was nominated as best supporting actor for "Lovecraft Country."
He famously played the roles of Omar Little on "The Wire" and Chalky White in "Boardwalk Empire."
Although his drug overdose shocked his fans, the actor actually had been open about his personal struggles with drugs in the past few years. The addiction reportedly intensified when he got into his role on "The Wire." For what it's worth, his character on the flick robs drug dealers.
In an interview with NPR in 2016, Williams recalled how he desperately asked for help for his addiction in a New Jersey church. Per the actor, it happened during the third season of "The Wire."
"I was on drugs. ... I was in jeopardy of destroying everything I had worked so hard for, and I came in those doors, and I met a man who had never even heard of 'The Wire,' much less watched it," he said.
