Orlando, Florida’s ICON Park is known to be a place where locals go to endure excitement, relaxation, and a stress-free afternoon. Looking to do the same, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson arrived at the eventful place this past Thursday, March 24, 2022, in hopes of simply having a worry-free day and enjoying the happiness that the amusement park is supposed to bring. However, the unthinkable abruptly occurred in which Sampson tragically fell approximately 200 feet to his death; he was pronounced dead on the scene as the impact of the fall was too much for his body to handle.
The thought that ran through the minds of everyone who has been informed of this devastating incident was “did they check him,” according to multiple citizens who witnessed the fall. Reports claim that Sampson fell off the “Orlando Free-Fall” ride that has only been up and running for approximately three months. Operators of the ride have all made statements that they did follow safety precautions and the park’s protocol before launching the final group into the air. This specific ride travels in a spiraling motion to about 400 feet in the air, before inevitably plunging to its initial activation position.
“Oh my God!,” one witness screamed as she watched the innocent man plunge to his demise. “Oh my God! He just fell! Oh my God!.” As of right now, Orlando law enforcement officials are continuing to dig deeper into the case, but have made it clear that they are still in the early stages of the investigation. Most recently, representatives of the amusement park have come out to vocalize how they are absolutely positive that the seat was locked before workers pressed the button to commence the ride. This tragic incident is not one that you see every day, making the entire situation even more difficult to imagine for the family members and loved ones close to the deceased Tyre Sampson.