Missouri Teen Dies After Falling From Florida Amusement Park Ride That's Taller Than Statue of Liberty

By Mary Webber First Posted: Mar 26, 2022 01:15 AM EDT

A Missouri teen died after falling from an amusement park ride in Florida that is taller than the Statue of Liberty late Thursday.

According to ABC News, sheriff's officials and emergency crews responded to a call at the Orlando Free Fall ride in Orlando city's ICON Park. The teen was identified as Tyre Sampson, who was visiting central Florida from Missouri with a friend's family.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said detectives were already investigating the death and will look into whether it was intentional or accidental. Mina noted that the initial results of the investigation appeared to be "just a terrible tragedy."

"We will see moving forward what that results in," he added.

Police said the Missouri teen was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Missouri Teen a Victim of Florida Amusement Park Ride Accident

The deputies said witnesses on the scene initially reported that someone had fallen from the ride. NBC News reported.that no charges have been filed yet, and investigators are still trying to determine how the boy fell to his death.

Mina said the sheriff's office would determine conclusively if Tyre Sampson's death was an accident. The state's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the agency that will oversee if the ride's safety is compromised.

A spokesperson with the state's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said its investigation is underway, and inspectors will be on-site Friday.

Officials said the Free Fall ride was inspected for the first time last December 20, and there were no deficiencies found. The ride passed its inspection.

Officials said the agency conducts safety inspections twice a year. But because Free Fall is a new ride, no additional inspections on it had occurred before Thursday night.

John Stine, director of sales and marketing for the Slingshot Group of Companies, said words could not express how they feel. Slingshot is the owner and the operator of the ride.

Stine noted that their hearts go out to the boy's family, and that is all that they can say at this time.

Sampson's uncle, Carl Sampson, said the teen was in Florida with teammates from his football team. Sampson was six feet six inches and weighed about 280 pounds as an eighth-grader.

The 14-year-old boy's uncle said his nephew was a really good kid and was really respectable. The Orlando Free Fall ride is meant to stand at 430 feet and could carry up to 30 riders.

Stine noted that they operate the ride with all the safety precautions in mind, adding that Sampson was secured in a safety harness at the time of the incident.

The man, who called 911, said he saw the boy's chair drop and hit the ground, and it was the "biggest smack" he ever heard in his life, U.S. News reported.

Another man told a 911 dispatcher that the Missouri teen had no pulse. A woman, who also called 911, said Tyre Sampson was facedown and was no longer responsive. The woman further noted that the teen appeared to have broken his arms and legs.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: ICON Park Free Fall Death: Teen Killed by Fall From Florida Amusement Park Ride - From LiveNOW From FOX