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Orlando FreeFall ride where 14-year-old fell to his death to be taken down

The timeline for taking down the thrill ride "will be determined by the approvals of all involved parties and regulatory entities," the ride operating company said.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando FreeFall ride where 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell to his death in March is being taken down, the ride operating company announced in a statement.

“We are devastated by Tyre’s death. We have listened to the wishes of Tyre’s family and the community, and have made the decision to take down the FreeFall,” Ritchie Armstrong with Orlando Slingshot said in the statement.

Armstrong said the company will honor Tyre's legacy by creating a scholarship in his name, the details of which will be worked out with the family and shared at a later date.

In the same statement, Orlando's ICON Park said it supports the ride operator's decision.

“Tyre’s death is a tragedy that we will never forget. As the landlord, ICON Park welcomes and appreciates Orlando Slingshot’s decision to take down the ride,” it said.

Orlando Slingshot said the timeline for taking down the 400-foot-tall FreeFall ride "will be determined by the approvals of all involved parties and regulatory entities."

The ride operator's decision comes after pleas from Sampson's parents, Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson, who filed a lawsuit back in April against ICON Park and the Orlando Slingshot group.

The safety of the drop tower ride is still under investigation by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which is led by Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.

On Thursday, Fried tweeted briefly about the news, saying, "While the investigation is ongoing, I hope that this news brings a measure of comfort to the family of Tyre Sampson and to the Orlando community."

An initial report from FDACS found that an operator of the drop tower made manual adjustments to the seat that Sampson sat in, "resulting in it being unsafe."

Tyre Sampson was visiting from Missouri with a friend's family when he fell from the Orlando FreeFall ride on March 24. He would later die at the hospital from his injuries.

An autopsy report revealed in June that the teen died of blunt force trauma from the fall.

The Orlando FreeFall ride opened in December 2021. According to a news release, it stands at 430 feet, "making it the world's tallest free-standing drop tower." 

The ride has been closed since Sampson's deadly fall.

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