ST. LOUIS/ ORLANDO, Fla. (KMOX/AP) - A 14-year-old St. Louis area male fell to his death Thursday night from an amusement park ride in Orlando Florida's tourist district that's taller than the Statue of Liberty.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina identifed the victim as 14-year-old Tyre Sampson.
Sampson fell from Icon Park's Orlando Free Fall ride, which opened late last year. He died a short time later at a hospital.
Sheriff Mina said during a Friday news conference that Sampson was visiting from Missouri with a friend's family.
He said the death appears to have been a tragic accident. Investigators will determine if Sampson was properly secured in the ride.
The 430-foot attraction is billed as the world's tallest free-standing drop tower.
In a Facebook post, East St. Louis High School football team defensive coordinator Brandon Gregory posted photos of Sampson with the message, "Get your rest kid. As a coach you hate that phone call I received last night... He was getting away from St. Louis to enjoy his spring break. He was so happy. RIP Big Tick."
Sampson's grandmother posted on social media that he had just got accepted to East St. Louis High School, and that he had so many plans.
Copyright 2002 Audacy (KMOX) / Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved