One dead at Ohio State University graduation after fall from stadium
One person has died after falling from the Ohio Stadium during Ohio State University's graduation ceremony on Sunday.
An officer sent out a call for help over the OSU police radio at around 12:30 p.m., stating, "I need medics and some officers at gate 30 (of Ohio Stadium)... had one fall off the stadium."
"An individual fell from the stands. They are deceased," said OSU spokesperson Ben Johnson. "We have no additional details to share at this time. Police and emergency responders are on scene. For anyone affected by today's incident, we will make counseling and other support resources available."
The commencement continued uninterrupted as news of the death spread through the crowd. Students leaving the ceremony walked past the area where the body fell still cordoned off by yellow crime scene tape.
Police and university officials released no additional information about the death as of 8 a.m. Monday. Johnson said Monday morning that the university could not release details about the identity of the person who fell, including age, gender or whether the person was a student.
The Franklin County coroner's office said Monday that it is still trying to determine the victim's identity.
"No way -- that's unbelievable," an eyewitness said. The witness said they saw a single person fall and it happened as the last graduates were just filing past that area, as they entered the stadium via the tunnel used by football players during OSU home games.
People in the stands and some students at commencement were visibly upset, according to Dispatch reporter Jordan Laird, who was in attendance at the ceremony.
University officials, commencement speakers — including social entrepreneur and OSU alum Chris Pan — made no reference to the death during the ceremony. Pan spoke about world peace and Bitcoin, among other topics, and sang the song 'This Little Light of Mine.'"
Reporters Sheridan Hendrix, Bailey Gallion, Jordan Laird and photographer Doral Chenoweth contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State death during graduation after person falls from stadium
