Health problems probed in Tony Scott death investigation

Investigators probing the death of "Top Gun" director Tony Scott are looking into whether serious health problems prompted him to leap off the Vincent Thomas Bridge on Sunday.

Scott, 68, had just completed a new movie and there had been no public reports of health problems. But Los Angeles County Coroner's officials said Monday's planned autopsy will look for signs of a serious health problem and that that is part of the investigation's focus.

ABC News reported that Scott suffered from brain cancer. Craig Harvey, a chief at the coroner's office, said authorities have heard that and other reports and are looking into them. He stressed, however, that the coroner has not formed any conclusions about what led to Scott's death.

PHOTOS: Director Tony Scott dead at 68

The coroner's office said all evidence suggests director Tony Scott took his own life Sunday, when witnesses say he leaped off the Vincent Thomas Bridge.

Officials said they are treating the case as a suicide.

Scott left a suicide note at his office, law enforcement sources said, but police have not revealed what was in it. Harvey said Scott also left several "instructional" notes to family and friends.

PHOTOS: Reaction on Twitter to director's death

Simon Halls, a spokesman for Scott's family, said the family asked "that their privacy be respected at this time."

Los Angeles police first learned of the incident after 12:30 p.m. from a 911 caller who said that an unidentified man had leaped off the suspension bridge that connects San Pedro and Terminal Island. It's a 185-foot fall from the bridge roadway to the waters of the Los Angeles Harbor.

Tony Scott's death treated as suicide; autopsy planned

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office said all evidence suggests director Tony Scott took his own life Sunday, when witnesses say he leaped off the Vincent Thomas Bridge.

Coroner's Lt. Joe Bale said the office is now treating the case as a suicide. An autopsy is likely to be performed Monday and the Los Angeles Police Department is interviewing witnesses and others.

Scott left a suicide note at his office, law enforcement sources said, but police have not revealed what was in it.

PHOTOS: Director Tony Scott dead at 68

Simon Halls, a spokesman for Scott's family, said the family asked "that their privacy be respected at this time."

Los Angeles police first learned of the incident after 12:30 p.m. from a 911 caller who said that an unidentified man had leaped off the suspension bridge that connects San Pedro and Terminal Island. It's a 185-foot fall from the bridge roadway to the waters of the Los Angeles Harbor.

Several witnesses told police they saw Scott get out of his Toyota Prius, which was parked on the bridge, about 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Then he scaled an 8- to 10-foot fence and jumped off without hesitation, law enforcement sources said.

PHOTOS: Reaction on Twitter to director's death

Authorities have been talking to those on the bridge at the time of the incident.

A source said officials looked inside the car and determined it belonged to the famed action-movie director and producer. A note in the car had contact information for his wife. A suicide note was later found in his office, according to law enforcement sources. Its contents were not revealed.

His body was pulled out of the water several hours later by divers from the Los Angeles Port Police.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office identified Scott on Sunday evening.

Scott was a respected director and producer who made "Man on Fire," "Enemy of the State" and "Beverly Hills Cop II."

Tony Scott: Autopsy planned after director leaps from bridge

   

The Los Angeles County coroner's office and Los Angeles Police Department were both investigating the death of filmmaker Tony Scott, including interviewing witnesses.

Simon Halls, a spokesman for Scott's family, said the family asked "that their privacy be respected at this time."

PHOTOS: Director Tony Scott dead at 68

Los Angeles police first learned of the incident after 12:30 p.m. from a 911 caller who said that an unidentified man had leaped off the suspension bridge that connects San Pedro and Terminal Island. It's a 185-foot fall from the bridge roadway to the waters of the L.A. Harbor.

Several witnesses told police they saw Scott get out of his Toyota Prius, which was parked on the bridge, about 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Then he scaled an 8- to 10-foot fence and jumped off without any hesitation, law enforcement sources said.

Authorities have been talking to those on the bridge at the time of the incident.

A source said officials looked inside the car and determined it belonged to the famed action-movie director and producer. A note in the car had contact information for his wife. A suicide note was later found in his office. Its contents were not revealed.

His body was pulled out of the water several hours later by divers from the Los Angeles Port Police.

The L.A. County coroner's office identified Scott on Sunday evening.

Scott was a respected director and producer who made "Man on Fire," "Enemy of the State" and "Beverly Hills Cop II."

The last film he directed was "Unstoppable," a 2010 thriller about a runaway freight train.

His career in television included executive producing the series "The Good Wife" and "Numb3rs," both on CBS.

PHOTOS: Reaction on Twitter to director's death

The British director, who lived in Beverly Hills, was best known for the 1986 hit "Top Gun," starring Tom Cruise as a Navy aviator. The movie grossed $21.6 million in its first 11 days of release.

Scott was one of three sons born to working-class parents in northern England.

He established his career as a commercial director and continued to make television spots late into his career. Before becoming a filmmaker, Scott was a painter.

Tony Scott: Witnesses tell LAPD they saw director leap from bridge

Investigators probing the death of "Top Gun" director Tony Scott are talking to witnesses who saw the filmmaker jump to his death from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro.

Los Angeles police first learned of the incident after 12:30 p.m. from a 911 caller who said that an unidentified man had leaped off the suspension bridge that connects San Pedro and Terminal Island. It's a 185-foot fall from the bridge roadway to the waters of the L.A. Harbor.

Several witnesses told police they saw Scott get out of his Toyota Prius, which was parked on the bridge, about 12:30 p.m. Then he scaled an 8- to 10-foot fence and jumped off without any hesitation, law enforcement sources said.

PHOTOS: Director Tony Scott dead at 68

Authorities have been talking to those on the bridge at the time of the incident.

A source said officials looked inside the car and determined it belonged to the famed action-movie director and producer. A note in the car had contact information for his wife. A suicide note was later found in his office. Its contents were not revealed.

His body was pulled out of the water several hours later by divers from the Los Angeles Port Police.

PHOTOS: Reaction on Twitter to director's death

The L.A. County coroner's office identified Scott on Sunday evening.

Scott was a respected director and producer who made "Man on Fire," "Enemy of the State" and "Beverly Hills Cop II."

The last film he directed was "Unstoppable," a 2010 thriller about a runaway freight train.

His career in television included executive producing the series "The Good Wife" and "Numb3rs," both on CBS.

The British director, who lived in Beverly Hills, was best known for the 1986 hit "Top Gun," starring Tom Cruise as a Navy aviator. The movie grossed $21.6 million in its first 11 days of release.

Scott was one of three sons born to working-class parents in northern England.

Divers found Tony Scott's body hours after his jump from bridge

It took divers several hours to find the body of director Tony Scott after he jumped from the top of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, law enforcement sources said.

Witnesses told the Los Angeles Police Department that Scott got out of his Toyota Prius on the bridge on Sunday, scaled an 8- to 10-foot fence and jumped without any hesitation, the sources said.

Scott jumped off the bridge in San Pedro about 12:30 p.m. Sunday. It took several hours for the Los Angeles port police to locate and pull Scott's body out of the murky waters of L.A. Harbor, between San Pedro and Terminal Island, said LAPD Lt. Tim Nordquist.

PHOTOS: Director Tony Scott dead at 68

Dive teams were used in the search, the sources said.

It is unclear exactly where Scott's body was found.

A source said officials looked inside the car and determined it belonged to the famed movie director and producer. A note listing contact information was left in the car.

PHOTOS: Reaction on Twitter to director's death

A suicide note was later found in his office. Its contents were not revealed.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed his identity Sunday evening,

Scott, the brother of director Ridley Scott, directed "Top Gun,"  "Enemy of the State," "Beverly Hills Cop II" and "Crimson Tide."

The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and the coroner's office.

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Photo: Director Tony Scott posing for photographers during a press conference for the launch of his film 'Man on Fire' in Mexico City. Credit: Mario Guzman/EPA

Witnesses saw 'Top Gun' director Tony Scott jump off bridge, police say

Witnesses told police that Tony Scott got out of his Toyota Prius on the Vicent Thomas Bridge on Sunday, scaled an 8- to 10-foot fence and jumped without any hesitation, law enforcement sources said.

Scott jumped off the bridge in San Pedro about 12:30 p.m. Sunday. A source said officials looked inside the car and determined it belonged to the famed movie director and producer. A note listing contact information was left in the car.

A suicide note was later found in his office. Its contents were not revealed.

Photos: Tony Scott behind the camera

The Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed his identity on Sunday evening,

Scott, the brother of director Ridley Scott, directed "Top Gun,"  "Enemy of the State," "Beverly Hills Cop II" and "Crimson Tide."

The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and the coroner's office.

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Photo: The Vincent Thomas Bridge in 2012. Credit: Los Angeles Times

'Top Gun' director Tony Scott dead after jumping off bridge

This post has been corrected. See details below.

"Top Gun" director Tony Scott fatally jumped off the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro on Sunday afternoon, according to Los Angeles police sources.

His body was pulled out of the water by Los Angeles Police Department, California Highway Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard officials.

Photos: Tony Scott behind the camera

[For the record, 9:48 p.m. Aug. 19: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said a suicide note was found in Scott's car, which was parked on the bridge. In fact, the note found in his car listed contact information. Investigators later found a suicide note at his office.]

Law enforcement sources said several witnesses saw Scott, the brother of director Ridley Scott, climb over a fence on the bridge and jump off.

The coroner's office identified him Sunday evening.

PHOTOS: Reaction on Twitter to director's death

Scott was a respected action-movie director who also made "Enemy of the State," "Beverly Hills Cop II" and "Crimson Tide."

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Photo: Tony Scott. Credit: Los Angeles Times