Eminem stunt double (Photo by KMazur/WireImage)
Eminem’s former stunt and body double has died after being hit by a pickup truck while he crossed the street, according to the Tri-City Herald.
Ryan Shepard, 40, was struck and killed around 2:45 a.m. on January 31 in Kennewick, Washington, the outlet reports.
First responders arrived on scene shortly after the accident and rushed Shepard to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
The Herald reports that the driver of the vehicle that struck Shepard has been cooperating with authorities and didn’t show any signs of intoxication.
News of Shepard’s tragic death was confirmed on Sunday (Feb. 12) by his brother Kyle, who told TMZ that the deceased man was in fact the same person who worked with Eminem during the early 2000s.
Shepard had also worked as the rapper’s superhero alter ego Rap Boy at the 2002 MTV Movie Awards, and toured with Shady Records during the 2002 Anger Management Tour.
He would later join Eminem for two more tours in Europe and Asia, and even appeared in D12’s “Purple Hills” music video.
Shepard eventually left the entertainment industry before finding success in the tech industry, according to the Mirror.
His LinkedIn describes himself as a “Creative Engineer with a passion for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation. Experienced in Machining and Prototype Fabrication” whose career also went on to include “Mechanical Engineering Design & Analysis, Automation, Robotics, and Programming.”
He had also worked as a ride mechanical engineer at Disney and even worked as a test automation engineer for Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.
He leaves behind two children, ages 7 and 11.
As of Monday (Feb. 13), Eminem has yet to comment on Shepard’s untimely passing.
