CHAPTICO, Md. — Bobby J. Brown, an actor best known for his recurring role as Officer Bobby Brown on HBO’s The Wire, has died at age 62 following a barn fire in St. Mary’s County, family members confirmed.

The fire was reported shortly after 10 p.m. on February 24, 2026, at a property on Roosevelt Boulevard in Chaptico. Firefighters responded to reports of a large barn fire with a person possibly trapped inside. Brown was located within the structure and pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental, citing smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate the cause of the fire.

Born in Washington, D.C., Brown grew up along Pennsylvania Avenue near the border of Southeast D.C. and Prince George’s County. He began boxing at a local gym where future Olympic champion Sugar Ray Leonard once trained. Brown compiled an amateur boxing record of 73-13 and won five Golden Gloves championships. He also faced future lightweight champion Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker three times during his amateur career.

After turning professional and training under boxing trainer Carmen Graziano in New Jersey, Brown developed an interest in acting while working around the filming of the movie Homeboy, starring Mickey Rourke. He later attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and transitioned into television and film.

He appeared in the critically acclaimed HBO dramas The Corner and The Wire, and later in HBO’s We Own This City. His television credits also included a recurring role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and performances alongside Academy Award winners including Robert De Niro and Renée Zellweger.

Beyond acting, Brown directed two award-winning documentaries, including Off the Chain, which examined misconceptions surrounding the American Pit Bull Terrier, and Tear the Roof Off – The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic, about the influential funk band.

The family has requested privacy.