In a tragic turn of events, an individual attending the Ohio State University graduation ceremony on Sunday lost their life after plummeting from the stands at the football stadium, university officials confirmed. The identity of the deceased has not been disclosed.
The commencement ceremony took place at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, a venue capable of accommodating over 100,000 spectators. The attendees were dispersed across multiple levels of bleachers that encircle the horseshoe-shaped stadium, as seen in footage shared by Ohio State.
The university's representative, Benjamin Johnson, confirmed the unfortunate incident to CNN on Monday. "Tragically, an individual fell from the stands and is deceased," he stated. Johnson added that the university had no further details to offer at this time.
The graduation ceremony was a significant event, with Ohio State conferring 12,555 degrees and certificates to students hailing from all 50 states and over 100 countries. The commencement speaker for the event was Chris Pan, a renowned social entrepreneur, musician, and motivational speaker.
In the wake of the incident, the university is making efforts to provide counseling and other support resources to those affected by the tragedy. "Stadium deaths are not unheard of, especially as stadiums are being built bigger to accommodate larger crowds," researchers note.
Ohio Stadium, originally built in 1922 with a seating capacity of about 66,000, has undergone several renovations over the years. These include the addition of extra seating and the installation of railings, according to Ohio State.
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