Graduation horror as person falls to their death from Ohio State University grandstand as students entered famed football stadium
- One person fell to his death during the Ohio State University graduation ceremony
- Police and first responders blocked off part of the football stadium
- The ceremony went ahead, but left those who witnessed the jump shocked
One person died during the Ohio State University graduation ceremony after falling from the stadium bleachers.
The emergency services were called on Sunday afternoon around 12.30 pm. The person fell as students were walking into the ceremony at the campus’ football stadium – and many did not know about the tragedy until after the event.
“I need medics and some officers at Gate 30 (of Ohio Stadium)… one has fallen out of the stadium,” the call came.
‘Someone fell from the stands. They are deceased,” OSU spokesman Ben Johnson said.
“We have no additional details to share at this time. Police and emergency services are on site. For anyone affected by today’s incident, we will make counseling and other support resources available,” Johnson added.
One person fell to his death from the stands just as Ohio State University’s graduation ceremony got underway on Sunday
The person fell from the stands just as graduates rushed into the stadium through one of the tunnels
The area where the person fell has been cordoned off with crime scene tape
OSU Stadium is several stories tall
Emergency services responded quickly after the incident occurred around 12:30 p.m
The name of the deceased person has not been released.
On social media, those at the ceremony claimed that the person who fell did so on purpose.
‘News and campus keep saying ‘fell’, witnesses say ‘jumped’. There was no yelling, no shouting, they jumped,” wrote a TikTok user named Lexi.
“They’re not 100% sure, but witnesses said the person jumped from what I heard,” Chelsie added. ‘I know people who have seen and heard it. Terrible for everyone involved.
‘I was there, I worked there today and heard it an hour after it happened. They just kept going with the day as if nothing had happened,” said another social media user, Kellie.
Part of the land outside the stadium has been cordoned off following the death of a person who fell from the stands
Police can be seen in an area closed off from the public
Families and students can be seen pouring into the stadium earlier on Sunday
Tongke Wang, a student from China, decorated her mortar board for the Ohio State University graduation ceremony
University President Ted Carter speaks at the Ohio State Spring 2024 commencement on Sunday, but made no mention of the death
A witness recalled seeing the person fall just as graduates entered the stadium in the southeast corner through a tunnel usually used by football players during OSU home games.
By the time the ceremony was over, students were seen leaving the ceremony as they walked past a cordoned off area where the body had fallen. Columbus Shipping.
A Dispatch reporter said people were in the stands who had witnessed the fall were visibly upset.
“For anyone affected by today’s incident, we will make counseling and other support resources available,” an Ohio State University spokesperson said in a statement.