A stuntman on 'The Walking Dead' died after an accident on set, and production has been halted
On Wednesday, Bernecker died as a result of his injuries, a Coweta County Coroner confirmed to Deadline. The coroner said he died of blunt force trauma.
According to Deadline, it's "believed to be the first stunt related death in the United States in 17 years."
"We are saddened to report that John Bernecker, a talented stuntman for 'The Walking Dead' and numerous other television shows and films, suffered serious injuries from a tragic accident on set," AMC said in a statement after the accident. "He was immediately transported to an Atlanta hospital, and we have temporarily shut down production. We are keeping John and his family in our thoughts and prayers."
SAG-AFTRA represents stunt professionals, and they're investigating the accident. "We have been informed of a serious injury to a SAG-AFTRA member on the set of 'The Walking Dead' and are investigating the situation," the union said in a statement. "As always, the safety and security of our members and others on set is of crucial concern to us and we are focused on this in our investigation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the performer and his family."
Bernecker, 33, worked also worked as a stuntman on films including "Black Panther," "The Fate of the Furious," "Keanu," and "Logan."
You can watch Bernecker's stunt reel below: