‘NCIS’ Surprisingly Kills off Clayton Reeves in Opening Scenes

NCIS kicked off with an unexpected scene that revealed Clayton Reeves (Duane Henry) died in in the attack featured in the May 1 episode’s conclusion.

Most only thought Abby Scuito would die in the attack, but as of the beginning of the episode, she was still being treated at the hospital.

Reeves accompanied Abby to dinner at an igloo-themed restaurant at the end of the previous episode. As they left the restaurant, an unknown man pulls a gun on them in an apparent mugging.

Abby then tried to talk the shooter down, and a struggle for the gun followed. The screen then cut to black as a gunshot rang out.

While all the attention from fans and producers has been on Abby’s possible death, Many completely overlooked the possibility that Reeves might have died in the attack.

The reveal came as various NCIS team members are standing around a body bag in a medical examination room.

“How could this happen?” Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) says. “Can anyone explain that to me?”

While viewers are led to believe it could be Abby in the bag, it is soon opened to reveal Reeves’ body.

A later scene shows Torres and Eleanor Bishop (Emily Wickersham) mourning the loss of their former teammate.

“I’m gonna miss him,” Torres says.

Bishop replies, “He was like a brother to me, and I never got to tell him that. … He was here, and now he’s gone.”

Fans were equally hurt my the lose, which most were not expecting.

“OMG CLAYTON! NOOOOOOOOO,” one fan wrote. “ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT!”

“[I] didn’t see that coming!” another added.

Henry has played his character’s death close to the chest. He has only tweeted out a “previously on” teaser for Tuesday night’s episode and has not commented any further.

Most other cast members have been focused on Perrette’s send-off, which marks a 15-season run for the actress.

Henry has played Reeves since season 13 and credited for 44 episodes of the CBS crime drama. His first episode was the season 13 episode “Dead Letter,” and his last episode will be Tuesday night’s episode, entitled “Two Steps Back.”

NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS

Photo Credit: CBS