Florida 911 calls released after teenager fell off ride: 'They didn't secure the seatbelt'
Orlando authorities have released the 911 calls made after a teenager fell from a ride at Orlando, Florida's ICON Park and died. (Credit: Orange County Fire Rescue Department)
Orlando authorities have released the 911 calls made after a teenager fell from a ride at Orlando, Florida's ICON Park and died.
Tyre Sampson, 14, fell off of the Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park on March 24.
Audio of the 911 calls made to authorities were released to Fox News Digital by the Orange County Fire Rescue Department.
One person who placed a 911 call claimed that Sampson's seatbelt was not secured properly.
"Okay, so was he up off the ground?," the 911 dispatcher asked.
"No, they didn't secure the seatbelt on him," the 911 caller said.
The ICON Park in Orlando seen on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The Wheel at ICON Park is at left, Orlando SlingShot in middle, and Orlando FreeFall is at right. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
The 911 caller said that it appeared that Sampson's arms were broken, and said that he is not responsive.
Another caller said that when the ride stopped, 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.
One of the other callers said that Sampson "just came off" of the Orlando FreeFall ride.
"The ride was going, and during the middle of the ride, the guy just came off," the 911 caller said.
When asked if the teenager was awake, the caller said that he was dead.
"No, he's dead, he's dead, he's dead," the 911 caller said. "He's face-down, there's blood everywhere, he's not breathing, I've checked his pulse, there's no pulse."
The 911 calls were placed just before 11:15 p.m. ET, according to authorities.
FLORIDA AMUSEMENT PARK VISITORS IN SHOCK AFTER SEEING TEENAGER FALL OFF RIDE: 'DID YOU CHECK HIM?'
The ICON Park in Orlando seen on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The Wheel at ICON Park is at left, Orlando SlingShot in middle, and Orlando FreeFall is at right. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Video footage of the incident shows the Orlando FreeFall ride moments before the 14-year-old fell to his death.
The boy's father told FOX 35 Orlando that Tyre was feeling uncomfortable when the ride began.
"When the ride took off, that's when he was feeling uncomfortable. He was like, ‘This thing is moving.’ … That's when he started freaking out," Yarnell Sampson, told FOX 35 Orlando. "He was explaining to his friends next to him … ‘If I don’t make it down … please tell my mom and dad I love them.' For him to say something like that, he must've felt something."
"We got a little closer and it was a person laying on the ground," Montrey Williams said. "Everyone was just panicking and screaming."
Sampson was visiting from Missouri when he went to the amusement park. Sampson was 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighed 330 pounds, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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.
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The ICON Park in Orlando seen on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The Wheel at ICON Park is at left, Orlando SlingShot in middle, and Orlando FreeFall is at right. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
ICON Park tweeted a statement, which says it is cooperating with law enforcement and grieving the tragedy.
In a statement, the SlingShot Group, which operates the Orlando FreeFall, said that it will cooperate with the investigation and expressed its deepest sympathy to Sampson's family and friends.
"We are heartbroken with the incident that took the life of one of our guests. We extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to his family and friends. We are working with the Sheriff’s Office and ride officials on a full investigation. The Orlando FreeFall will be closed until further notice," the statement reads.
A spokesperson for the SlingShot Group did not respond to the 911 recordings when contacted by Fox News Digital on Monday.
Fox News' Julia Musto and Audrey Conklin contributed to this report
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