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‘Tiger King’ reptile dealer Jeff Johnson dead in apparent suicide, police say

OKLAHOMA CITY — Editor’s note: If you or someone you know needs help or has suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Jeff Johnson, who was interviewed in the Netflix docuseries “Tiger King,” has died, authorities said. He was 58.

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According to CNN and People magazine, police said the former reptile dealer, whose full name was Jeffery Lynn Johnson, died in an apparent suicide Sept. 8 after he and his wife argued in their Oklahoma City home. Johnson’s wife told officers that she witnessed the self-inflicted shooting, which occurred while the couple’s children, ages 4 and 5, were home, the police report said.

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Authorities responded to the scene and rushed Johnson to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, CNN reported.

Police said Johnson, who appeared in the fourth episode of the series’ first season, had no history of mental illness, according to the news outlets.