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Tyre Sampson, a teenager from Missouri, passed away on March 24, 2022 after falling off an amusement park ride in Orlando, Florida.
During a press conference on March 25, 2022, Orange County Sheriff John Mina informed the media that the deceased 14-year-old was visiting a family from his hometown of Missouri.
A police spokesperson told reporters that Tyre Sampson died after falling off the Orlando Free Fall attraction at ICON Park around 11:00 p.m. He was later transported to a local hospital.
Mina further said:
"The Orange County Sheriff's Office's role in this incident is to determine whether or not this is an accident. Based on all of our preliminary investigation and information it appears to be a terrible tragedy, but our investigation is still open."
Further details of the investigation will be handled by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs.
Twitter users react to Tyre Sampson's tragic video
Hours after the video of Tyre Sampson falling off a ride went viral on social media, people expressed their grief and thoughts about the teenager passing away due to something that "could have been prevented." Some also vented their anger at the staff operating the ride for their alleged recklessness.
Some Twitter users also called out people who were sharing tragic videos of Tyre Sampson falling off, where the visuals were very clear.
Police said that Tyre's death was accidental
When asked why police thought the boy's death was accidental, John Mina responded that he found "everything to be okay and normal" while talking to employees. He also said that the police were not aware of "any issues with the ride" since it opened in December 2021.
As part of their investigation, the sheriff shared that authorities will determine whether it was a slip, whether the rider was conscious or not, or if there were any issues with the lock in the safety harness.
According to him, the authorities will determine whether it was accidental or not, which they believe is the case at this point. He went on to say that "there are absolutely no criminal charges."
ICON Park's website says the FreeFall takes riders to the top of a 430-foot tower and tilts them face down before dropping them at speeds of up to 75 mph. Operators call it the tallest freestanding drop tower in the world, according to the sheriff's office.
In December 2021, the ride passed a safety inspection before it was allowed to open, according to a CNN report.
In the meantime, the ride has been closed until further notice while the issue is investigated. The company said it is working with the sheriff's office on a full investigation.
