A 51-year-old man fell to his death during a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday night, police said.
Officers responding to a 911 emergency call at about 9.51pm found the man unconscious and unresponsive with injuries indicating a fall from an “elevated position”, New York police said in a statement.
He was taken from the famous arena in midtown Manhattan to Bellevue hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have identified him as Paul Kueker of Niantic, Connecticut.
The Connecticut-based rock band Goose were performing the second of a two-night concert booking.
The group posted a statement on Facebook, saying they were “deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the tragic event that occurred”. Goose played a concert on Sunday evening in Central Park and said all proceeds from the show would go toward a charitable fund providing support and resources for their fans.
“We considered whether or not we were going to play and came to the decision that the best thing we can do right now is bring our community together, lean on one another, and offer a space for healing,” the Sunday statement said. “So let’s be kind to each other tonight and remember our friend.”
Madison Square Garden, often simply known as the Garden, was back on one of its main tracks as a music venue after being the center of the city’s attention when it hosted the New York Knicks on their way to their first national basketball championship in more than 50 years, as they had bested the San Antonio Spurs.
The arena is also home to political rallies at times but is mostly known for concerts and basketball fixtures.
Saturday night’s incident occurred inside the venue and it was not clear on Sunday morning from what height the man plunged. He was understood to be seated in a balcony section and was at the concert with his wife, according to the authorities.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
