
"Always such a kind dude..." Chris Pratt remembers Jonathan Joss after his tragic death
Jun 03, 2025
Washington DC [US], June 3 : Actor Jonathan Joss, best known for his role as Chief Ken Hotate in 'Parks and Recreation,' passed away at the age of 59.
Chris Pratt, who worked with Joss on both 'Parks and Recreation' and 'The Magnificent Seven,' paid tribute to him on Instagram.
He wrote, "Damn. RIP Jonathan. Always such a kind dude. Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones."
Joss played the role of Chief Ken Hotate, the leader of the fictional Wamapoke Tribe, in the popular sitcom. He also appeared as Denali, an exiled Comanche warrior, alongside Pratt in the 2016 Western film The Magnificent Seven.
Fellow Parks and Recreation actor Nick Offerman also expressed his sadness. "The cast has been texting together about it all day and we're just heartbroken."
"Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate. A terrible tragedy," Offerman added.
According to San Antonio police, Joss died in a shooting on Saturday, Variety reported. He was 59. San Antonio officers were dispatched to a shooting in progress at a home on Sunday night around 7 p.m. When they arrived at the scene, they "found Joss near the road after he was shot multiple times."
The officers attempted life-saving measures until medics arrived, but Joss was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooter fled in a vehicle but was detained by officers a block away and booked for murder.
Joss voiced John Redcorn from Season 2 through Season 13 of "King of the Hill" and already recorded lines for the upcoming revival of the popular animated series. He took over the role from original actor Victor Aaron after he died in 1996 in a car accident, as per Variety.