Additional Coverage:
- Heartbreaking tribute paid to dad who plunged to his death in Madison Square Garden ‘bloodbath’ (themirror.com)
A 51-year-old Connecticut man has been identified as the victim who tragically fell to his death at Madison Square Garden during a Saturday night concert. Paul Kueker, a father of two, fell approximately 150 feet from the Chase Bridge while attending a performance by the band Goose just before 10 p.m.
In an emotional interview, Kueker’s mother, Patricia Finelli, described her son as “the greatest kid in the whole wide world,” adding, “He’d give you the shirt off his back.” She shared that Paul was at the show with his wife, with whom he has two children, and said, “He took care of me like I was a piece of gold.”
Emergency responders rushed Kueker to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The couple had come to enjoy Goose’s second consecutive show at MSG as part of the band’s summer tour. The concert concluded around midnight after a 16-song set.
The band released a statement expressing their sorrow, saying, “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the tragic event that occurred at tonight’s show. We extend our deepest sympathies to everyone affected. Thank you to the emergency personnel and venue staff who stepped in with care and support.”
Witnesses reported hearing a loud thud when Kueker fell from the upper 200 or 300 level down to the 100 level, an area equivalent in height to a 10-story building. Photos shared online showed crushed seats at the scene, with police tape cordoning off the area.
Concertgoers described the atmosphere as shaken and uneasy in the aftermath. Despite the tragedy, the band resumed their performance after a lengthy intermission, with paramedics seen transporting Kueker away on a stretcher.