911 calls reveal boy who fell off theme park ride not secured

A 14-year-old boy fell to his death from a ride at Orlando’s ICON Park last week allegedly because his seatbelt was not secured properly, the 911 calls from the incident released on Tuesday specified.

On March 24, Tyre Sampson, 14, fell off of the FreeFall ride at the park, which takes people up 430 feet and then drops at speeds of around 75 mph, according to ICON Park.

“They didn't secure the seatbelt on him," a 911 caller said. The caller added that Sampson was unresponsive and it appeared that his arms were broken.

"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," another 911 caller reporting the incident said.

According to Sampson’s father, he was 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."

After the incident, ICON Park said it was cooperating with the police and sent their condolences to Sampson’s family and friends.

A Statement from ICON Park: pic.twitter.com/ubFxoSmGdz

— ICON Park (@iconparkorlando) March 26, 2022

FreeFall has been closed since the accident. ICON Park had demanded that the ride operator, Slingshot Group, also suspend another one of the group’s rides, the Orlando Slingshot.