Columbus Short will not be returning for Season 4 of “Scandal," the Shonda Rhimes-created drama series, which is expected to return in the fall, after Season 3 ended with a cliffhanger for his character Harrison Wright.

Short’s exit from the ABC thriller comes after his wife alleged he threatened to kill her and himself earlier this month. In March, in a separate incident, the 31-year-old actor was arrested and charged with battery after an alleged fight with a man in a bar.

"At this time I must confirm my exit from a show I've called home for 3 years, with what is the most talented ensemble on television today," Short reportedly said in a statement released by his publicist. "I would like to first thank Shonda Rhimes for the opportunity to work with such an amazing cast. Thank you GLADIATORS, who have supported me throughout my entire career and of course to ABC and Shonda-land for allowing me to play such a pivotal role in the 'Scandal' series.”

He added: "I have enjoyed every single minute of it. Everything must come to an end and unfortunately the time has come for Harrison Wright to exit the canvas. I wish nothing but the best for Shonda, Kerry [Washington] and the rest of the cast, who have become like a second family to me in such a short amount of time. For this, I will forever be grateful."

The decision to leave the show was not made by Short and was made for “creative purposes,” E! News reported citing a source.

The major cliffhanger in the Season 3 finale, which aired on April 17, was [spoiler alert!] whether or not Rowan Pope, played by Joe Morton, would kill Harrison, who was seen being held at gunpoint by members of the secret service, after he discovered that the B613 head of command was responsible for the death of the president’s son.

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