Hunter S. Thompson |
Hunter S. Thompson, the acerbic counterculture writer who popularized a new form of writing called "Gonzo Journalism" in books like "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," fatally shot himself tonight at his Aspen-area home, his son said.
The 67-year-old Thompson, a noted fan of drugs, nearly was elected sheriff of his Colorado town.
"Hunter prized his privacy and we ask that his friends and admirers respect that privacy as well as that of his family," Juan Thompson said in a statement released to the Aspen Daily News.
Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis, a personal friend of Thompson, confirmed the death.
Thompson began writing dispatches for Rolling Stone magazine during the Nixon years. Recently he was writing a column for ESPN, including his final one.
Thompson's other books include "Hell's Angels," "The Proud Highway" and his most recent effort, "Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Bush Doctrine, and The Downward Spiral of Dumbness."