Austin Majors, Former NYPD Blue Star and Child Actor, Dies at 27

Austin Majors, best known for his seven-season run on NYPD Blue, has died. The actor, who played the son of Dennis Franz’s Andy Sipowicz on the police procedural, died at a homeless facility over the weekend in Los Angeles. He was 27.

TMZ first reported the death and says that while no official cause of death was reported, it’s suspected the former child actor “may have ingested a fatal amount of fentanyl.”

“[Austin] was a loving, artistic, brilliant, and kind human being. Austin took great joy and pride in his acting career. He was an active Eagle Scout and graduated Salutatorian in High School. He went on to graduate from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a passion of directing and music producing,” Majors’ family told the tabloid.

The statement added, “Austin’s younger sister, Kali, says her fondest memories with Austin were growing up on set with him, volunteering at events with “Kids With a Cause”, and backpacking together. Austin was the kind of son, brother, grandson, and nephew that made us proud and we will miss him deeply forever.”

After his time on NYPD Blue, Majors also earned credits on How I Met Your Mother, Desperate Housewives, American Dad!, NCIS, and According to Jim.’

His sister Kali issued a statement of her own on Facebook, adding “My big brother, Austin, is gone. He died last night. It’s so surreal to me still. He was only 27 with so much life left to live.”