The father of Tyre Sampson is slamming investigators and theme park operators for trying to sweep his death under the rug.
On Monday, Yarnell Sampson spoke at a press conference in front of the Free Fall attraction at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida, with civil rights attorney Ben Crump. He accused all parties involved of ignoring Tyre’s deadly fall because he is a Black teenager. Yarnell believes that if his son “was a European child, it would have been different.”
The 14-year-old was captured on video plummeting to his death in March after boarding the Free Fall ride. A report found that the young man weighed over 300 pounds yet was permitted onto the ride despite the 287 weight limit. A lawsuit filed by the family says operators shouldn’t have allowed Tyre on the ride.
Yarnell also said that he was shocked to see his son’s memorial had been taken down when he visited the site of his death on Father’s Day. According to both him and Crump, the park told them a permanent memorial would remain at the location. Orlando Slingshot, which is under the ride’s operating group, confirmed that cleaning crews removed the memorial several weeks ago, and the items were sent to the family. They did not provide details regarding a permanent dedication to Tyre Sampson.
“I just thought everybody’s just abandoned him and everybody care about him no more, and there’s no more love,” Yarnell stated.
Ahead of Yarnell’s and Crump’s press conference, protesters could be heard shouting “Tear it down” in front of the ride.
Crump is demanding the companies in charge of the ride be held accountable for “putting profit over safety.”
