Overnight came the sad news that Hollywood star Paul Walker has died. With equally parts tragedy and irony, the actor most famous for his role in the Fast & Furious movies was killed in a traffic accident in Santa Clarita, just north of Los Angeles where he was a passenger in a red Porsche Carrera GT sports car which apparently veered off the road and hit a lamp-post at approximately 3:30pm. The emergency services arrived on the scene shortly afterwards but the car was engulfed in flames and it was later confirmed both people in the car had died at the scene.
“It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organisation Reach Out Worldwide. He was a passenger in a friend's car, in which both lost their lives. We... are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news.”
Universal Studios put out a statement sending condolences to his friends and family and his Fast & Furious co-star Vin Diesel also sent an immediate message...
“All of us at Universal are heartbroken,” said the studio. “Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the 'Fast & Furious' films, and to countless fans.”
Diesel posted a photograph of Walker and himself on Instagram, saying: “Brother I will miss you very much. I am absolutely speechless.”
"All my strength, love & faith to the Walker family during this heartbreaking time. We find our strength.. in his light. Love you brother," Dwayne Johnson said.
Pragmatically, Walker and the cast were half way through filming the next Fast & Furious movie, the seventh in the franchise, and it is not known how this tragedy will affect the movie itself, originally scheduled for July 11th 2014. One of Walker's last completed movies, Hours, will be released later this month.
He was 40 years old and is survived by his daughter, Meadow, aged 15.
