The city's medical examiner has concluded that actor Peter Greene's sudden death in December was due to an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound. Greene, known for his role as the sinister Zed in "Pulp Fiction," was found dead in his New York apartment. According to a report by ABC7NY, the gunshot wound was located in his left armpit, compromising the brachial artery.
Initially, some believed the actor's storied battles with mental health and addiction might have led to a fatal self-harm incident. However, the cause of death has now been squarely deemed an accident. Greene, aged 60 at his time of death, had been preparing to undergo surgery to remove a benign lung tumor on the very day he died, December 12. The actor, having run away from home at 15 and survived for years on New York's unforgiving streets, later rose to prominence for his portrayal of menacing characters on the big screen.
It was in his Lower East Side residence that neighbors, alarmed by continuous Christmas music playing from his apartment, requested a wellness check leading to the discovery of Greene's body. The twist of fate is particularly poignant as Greene was poised to embark on a new phase, working as a co-producer and narrator for a documentary, as well as gearing up for an independent thriller alongside Mickey Rourke, according to a New York Post interview with his longtime manager, Gregg Edwards.
Remembered by his neighbors and friends not just for his rough-edged film roles but also for a readiness to lend a hand, his passing has left a void in the community. "He was such a nice guy. He was so helpful," Mary Patierno, residing temporarily in Greene's building, told the New York Post. Amidst Greene's untimely departure, his planned projects stand as reminders of the perspective and voice that the cinema world, and those beyond it, have now lost.
