‘Black Panther’ stuntman and three children die in car crash in Georgia
Taraja Ramsess, a stunt performer who worked on the Marvel franchises “Black Panther” and “Avengers,” was killed last week in a car crash near Atlanta that also killed three of his children, authorities said.
The crash occurred around 11:45 p.m. Oct. 31 on Interstate 20 in DeKalb County, east of the city, DeKalb County police said. Mr. Ramsess, 41, was driving a Ford F-150 truck eastbound on the highway, which runs through the Atlanta metropolitan area.
As he took the Wesley Chapel Road exit, he “collided with a tractor-trailer that was broken down in the left lane,” police said in a statement, adding that the cause was under investigation.
Mr. Ramsess; his 13-year-old daughter Sundari; and his 1-month-old daughter, Fuji Bo, were killed, the department said. Mr. Ramsess’s 10-year-old son, Kisasi, and 3-year-old daughter, Shazia, were thrown from the car, WSB-TV, an Atlanta television station, reported last week.
Akili Ramsess, Mr. Ramsess’s mother and executive director of the National Press Photographers Association, said this weekend: in a post on Instagram that Kisasi had died. That’s what the NPA said he was taken off life support on November 4.
Shazia’s condition was unclear Tuesday morning.
“Anyone who knew and met him knows how special Taraja was,” Ms. Ramsess said on Instagram. “He had a deep capacity for love and loved his children more than anyone else. He loved his martial arts, motorcycles and anything related to filmmaking.”
Mr. Ramsess began working as a set designer in 2009 and took on stunt performances in 2015. according to IMDb. His stunt credits include ‘Bad Boys for Life’, ‘The Suicide Squad’, ‘The Harder They Fall’, ‘Emancipation’ and ‘Creed III’.
Marvel did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
The director Ava DuVernay said on Instagram last week that she had worked with Mr. Ramsess. “He also loved making movies and TV,” she said. “Over the years I have held many positions. Immersing yourself in all aspects of the profession.”
Tony Tucci, a friend who trained Mr. Ramsess in martial arts for nearly a decade, told WSB-TV that he broke down after hearing the news.
“He was just a wonderful person and we have a great loss to this world,” he said. “It makes you think and it gives you a new perspective on everyone we have to call every day because you never know when your last words will be to someone.”
Christine Hauser reporting contributed.