An actor who appeared in animated series King Of The Hill and hit show Parks And Recreation has been shot dead near his home.
Jonathan Joss, 59, was found injured by police in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday evening.
Officers tried to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The actor’s husband claimed the gunman shouted “violent homophobic slurs” before opening fire, and that Joss had pushed him out the way to save his life.
“He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other,” alleged Tristan Kern de Gonzales on Facebook.
He said the couple had previously faced harassment from neighbours, much of it “openly homophobic”.
Joss’s husband said they had been checking for mail at his old home – which earlier this year burned down in a fire that killed their three dogs – when they noticed the skull of one of the animals in front of the property.
He said they began “yelling and crying” and claimed they were approached by a man who threatened them with a gun.
“We were standing side by side,” said Mr Kern de Gonzales. “When the man fired Jonathan pushed me out of the way. He saved my life.”
However, San Antonio police said it had found no evidence that the shooting was a hate crime.
“Should any new evidence come to light, we will charge the suspect accordingly,” said a statement.
A 56-year-old man, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, has already been charged with murder.
Joss is best known for voicing Native American character John Redcorn in cult show King Of The Hill, which ran for 13 series and more than 250 episodes from 1997 to 2009.
He also had a recurring role in NBC’s Parks And Recreation as tribal elder and casino owner Chief Ken Hotate.
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