Orlando Freefall ride to be torn down after teen’s fatal fall
Orlando Freefall, the tallest drop tower ride in the world, will be torn down after a Missouri teen slipped from his seat and plummeted to his death.
Tyre Sampson, an eighth grader and budding football player, died on March 24 following a fatal fall from the drop tower in ICON Park, located in Orlando’s tourism district.
The attraction — which carries riders to the top, tilts the seats forward 30 degrees toward the ground, and then free-falls at up to 75 mph — was about halfway through when the teen hurtled to his death.
The attraction — which carries riders to the top, tilts the seats forward 30 degrees toward the ground, and then free-falls at up to 75 mph — was about halfway through when the teen hurtled to his death.
Orlando Slingshot, which operates the 400-foot Freefall ride, announced on Thursday that the ride would be shut down for good in wake of the deadly incident.
“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 of Orlando Slingshot said in a statement.
“In addition, Orlando Slingshot will honor Tyre and his legacy in the classroom and on the football field by creating a scholarship in his name.”