Former 'ER' actress Vanessa Marquez shot dead by police after she waved BB gun

Hollywood actor Vanessa Marquez, best known for her role as a nurse on the medical drama series ER was shot and killed by police in Pasadena city.

According to a TMZ report, police arrived after Marquez's concerned landlord called them up to check on her, as she was said to be suffering from seizures due to an eating disorder.

Officials said that a county mental health care specialist was with the officers at the scene and spoke with Marquez in an attempt to offer her medical care. They added it was then when Marquez armed herself with a handgun and pointed it at the officers, who then shot Marquez multiple times, reports Reuters.

Vanessa, who was rushed to the hospital, was declared brought dead. It later turned out that the weapon she was holding was a mere BB gun. An investigation into the shooting, in which no officers were injured, is underway. 

She, who died on Thursday (local time) was only 49 years old. Marquez was best known for her role as nurse Wendy Goldman on medical drama ER from 1994-1997.

In 2017, Marquez had accused her ER co-star George Clooney of blacklisting her from the show for speaking about sexual harassment and racial discrimination.

Denying the accusation, Clooney had issued a statement, "I was not a writer or a producer or a director on that show. I had nothing to do with casting. I was an actor and only an actor."