A day of fun at a Florida amusement park ended in tragedy when a 14-year-old boy fell to his death from a thrill ride that has only been open for three months.
Police are now investigating to determine what caused the deadly accident at Icon Park in Orlando late Thursday night.
The teen, identified as as 14-year-old Tyre Sampson of Missouri, fell from the 430-feet tall Orlando Free Fall ride, which bills itself as the world's tallest free-standing drop tower.
Sampson was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Video of the ride taken by a bystander appears to show passengers discussing seatbelts with the crew before it launched hundreds of feet in the air, NBC's Today reported. As the ride plummets to the ground, a rider can be seen falling out of their seat and landing on the ground.
It's not known how the teen fell from the ride. The company that operates the ride is working with authorities to determine what happened.
"Our hearts go out to the family of this young man," John Stine, director of sales and marketing for The SlingShot Group, said in a statement to WKMG.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina also extended condolences to Sampson's family saying he "can't imagine the pain and anguish" they must be experiencing.
The Orlando Free Fall ride is relatively new, having just opened in December 2021.
Since the accident, the park has removed any mention of the ride from its website. However, multiple reports quote the website's previous listing for the ride, saying it holds 30 passengers as it rises in the air, rotates around the tower, and then tilts to face the ground briefly before free falling at more than 75 miles per hour.
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