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Death of 28-year-old comedian Jak Knight ruled a suicide

A smiling man in sunglasses, a black jacket and green pants stands in front of a brick wall.
Comedian Jak Knight at Peacock’s launch of “Bust Down” at Academy LA on March 14, 2022.
(Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images)
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The death of stand-up comedian Jak Knight has been ruled a suicide.

Knight, whose given name is Jakim Maulana, starred in the Netflix animated series “Big Mouth” and the Peacock comedy “Bust Down.” The 28-year-old’s body was discovered at an embankment on July 14, according to an online record for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.

The record had a gunshot wound to the head listed under the cause of death. The manner of death was listed as suicide.

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Knight was pronounced dead at the scene in the 3400 block of Atlantic Street at 8:33 p.m., a spokesperson for the coroner told The Times on Tuesday. That area is located in Boyle Heights.

Stand-up comedian Jak Knight, who starred in the Netflix animated series “Big Mouth,” died Thursday, according to multiple news outlets. He was 28.

July 16, 2022

On “Big Mouth,” Knight was the voice behind the character Devon and served as a writer and producer.

He co-created and starred in this year’s comedy series “Bust Down,” a show about four friends working in dead-end jobs at a casino. He was also a co-executive producer on the HBO talk show “Pause With Sam Jay,” a writer on the ABC sitcom “black-ish,” and recently finished filming an acting role in Chelsea Peretti’s “First Time Female Director.”

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“We are devastated by the passing of Jak Knight,” a statement from Peacock on Twitter said. “He was a brilliant comedian, visionary and artist and we were all lucky to experience his greatness. Our hearts are with Jak’s family, friends and community during this heartbreaking time.”

Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resources

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seek help from a professional and call 9-8-8. The United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Text “HOME” to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the Crisis Text Line.

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