Orlando FreeFall: Officials release additional 911 calls following tragic incident: 'Somebody just died'
Officials in Orlando, Florida, released more audio related to the incident on March 24 where a teenager fell off of an amusement park ride and died. (Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Officials in Orlando, Florida, released additional audio related to the incident on March 24 in which a teenager fell off of an amusement park ride and died.
Tyre Sampson, 14, fell off of the Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park on March 24.
Additional audio of the 911 calls placed to authorities were released to Fox News Digital by the Orange County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday.
One person made an emotional call to authorities after Sampson fell off of the Orlando Freefall.
The family of Tyre Sampson, 14, has filed a wrong death lawsuit against the Florida amusement park where he fell to his death while on a ride. (FOX 35 Orlando)
"Somebody just fell off," the caller said.
The 911 operator repeatedly tried to ask the caller where the incident took place, but multiple callers had issues identifying the ride, which recently opened in December.
"I don't know, I don't know. He needs help," the caller said.
An additional 911 caller said that "someone just fell off" of the Orlando FreeFall when the 911 operator asked where the incident took place.
The Orlando Free Fall drop tower in ICON Park in Orlando, Florida, is pictured on March 28, 2022. Tyre Sampson, 14, was killed when he fell from the ride last week. (Orlando Sentinel via Getty)
"It's at the new ride on I-drive. Someone just fell off of it." the caller said. "Someone just died on there."
Audio of the 911 calls previously reported by Fox News Digital indicated that Sampson fell "right out of the seat."
"The thing went down the drop, and like when it got closer to the bottom and hit the brakes, the guy fell right out of the seat, and bam. Went straight through the chair and just flopped. It was the biggest smack I've ever heard in my life … like I've seen him hit the ground," the 911 caller said.
Video footage of the incident shows the Orlando FreeFall ride moments before the 14-year-old fell to his death.
A police report from the incident also released to Fox News Digital on Monday states that several witnesses told police that Sampson fell off at what appears to be the halfway point of the ride.
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Tourists enjoy the rides and amenities at ICON Park in Orlando on Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
When Sampson hit the ground, witnesses said that he was still breathing, but unresponsive. Sampson was in Orlando, Florida, on a vacation with friends.
The sheriff's office did not release additional testimony from witnesses and said that there's an active investigation into the incident.
An operating manual for the Orlando FreeFall ride says the maximum passenger weight is just over 286 pounds. Sampson, who lived in Missouri, was 6 feet, 5 inches tall and reportedly weighed 360 pounds.
According to video obtained by FOX 35 Orlando, one person can be heard asking, "Did you check him?" after Sampson fell off the ride.
"Yeah. The light was on," one person said in the video.
"You guys are sure you checked him?" one person said
"Yeah. The light was on. The light was on," another responded.
Nekia Dodd, Tyre Sampson's mother, speaks during an April 26 press conference. (FOX 35 Orlando)
A wrongful death lawsuit was filed by the family of Sampson on March 25 against ICON Park, The Singshot Group, the manufacturer of the ride, and the construction company who build the ride, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released its commissioned engineering report performed by Quest Engineering in April, which states that a "proximity sensor" for the harness being used by Sampson was "manually loosened," meaning Sampson wasn't properly secured in his seat.
Nikki Fried, Florida commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, said during a press conference that "maladjustments" were made to the seat's proximity sensor that allowed a safety light to illuminate, allowing Sampson to ride even though he was not "properly secured in the seat."
FLORIDA FREEFALL TRAGEDY: AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE AT CENTER OF TEEN'S DEADLY FALL WAS BUILT IN DECEMBER
Attorney Ben Crump (right) and Yarnell Samspon, father of Tyre Sampson, speak during an April 26 press conference. (FOX 25 Orlando)
Samson's harness had a proximity sensor that "was manually loosened, adjusted and tightened to allow a restraint opening of near seven inches," according to the report.
Normally, the range is around three inches, according to the report.
In a statement to Fox News, Trevor Arnold, an attorney representing operator Orlando Slingshot, said that the company followed all protocols and safety measures.
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"Orlando Slingshot has fully cooperated with the state during the initial phase of its investigation, and we will continue to do so until it has officially concluded," Arnold said. "All protocols, procedures and safety measures provided to us by the manufacturer of the ride were followed. Today’s report suggests a full review of the ride’s design, safety, operation, restraint mechanisms and history — which, of course, we welcome. We look forward to working with the Florida legislature to implement change in the industry, as the safety of our patrons is always our top priority."
The ride has been closed since March 24. Depending on the outcome of the department's investigation, it could be closed for good, Fried said during a previous press conference.
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