ORLANDO FREEFALL DEATH

As 2022 comes to a close, here's a look back at the top Florida stories that viewers read on ClickOrlando over the year.

The owner and operator of the Orlando FreeFall attraction where a teen fell to his death earlier this year is arguing against the state’s findings in its investigation into the boy’s death and requesting a formal hearing, according to a new filing.

News 6 has now learned, documents about employee training and safety inspections were signed and dated the night of Tyre Sampson's death in March, not in February as the dates on the document suggest.

The Florida Department of Agriculture continued to push for proposed ride safety legislation as the investigation into the death of a 14-year-old boy who fell from the Orlando FreeFall thrill ride back in March came to a close.

An investigation into a 14-year-old boy’s fatal fall from the Orlando FreeFall attraction determined the boy’s death was caused by changes made to the seat’s sensors. Now, the Florida Department of Agriculture is seeking a $250,000 administrative fine against the ride’s operator.

The Orlando thrill ride from which a 14-year-old boy fatally fell earlier this year will be torn down, but not until a death investigation is completed, state officials announced Monday.

A hearing is scheduled in the wrongful death lawsuit against the operators of the Orlando FreeFall attraction where Tyre Sampson, 14, fell to his death earlier this year.

The Orlando thrill ride where Tyre Sampson, 14, fell to his death earlier this year is being taken down, according to a statement from the attraction’s operator

The Orlando thrill ride where Tyre Sampson, 14, fell to his death earlier this year is being taken down, according to a statement from the attraction’s operator

Attorney Ben Crump and the family of a 14-year-old boy who died after falling from an Orlando thrill ride in March held a news conference to mark what would have been the teen’s 15th birthday.

State leaders will discuss a push to improve safety on thrill rides in Florida.

Florida officials said there is no timeline for reopening the Orlando drop tower at ICON Park in Orlando after a 14-year-old boy fell to his death from the thrill ride earlier this year.

The operator of the Orlando FreeFall attraction, where a 14-year-old boy fell to his death in March, said it hopes to reopen one of its other rides at ICON Park.

The father of a 14-year-old boy who fatally fell from an Orlando attraction is speaking alongside his lawyer, Ben Crump, on the release of his son’s autopsy report.

A 14-year-old boy who fell to his death from an Orlando thrill ride in March was nearly 100 pounds over the weight limit of the attraction, according to an autopsy report released by the Orlando medical examiner’s office.

An incident report and 911 calls are released in a teen's fatal fall from an Orlando thrill ride.

The father of the teen who fatally fell from the Orlando FreeFall attraction last month is speaking from ICON Park in Orlando.

The mother of a 14-year-old boy who fell to his death from the Orlando FreeFall ride is spoke publicly for the first time in St. Louis about her son’s death.

A lawsuit on behalf of the family of a 14-year-old boy who fatally fell from an Orlando thrill ride last month was filed Monday in Orange County.

The family attorney for the mother of the teen killed after falling from an Orlando thrill ride said legal action is likely on the way.

An independent forensic engineering firm hired in the investigation into a teen’s fatal fall from an Orlando drop tower found the operator of the thrill ride manually adjusted the sensors in the seat he was in, which made the ride unsafe.

As state investigators try to figure out how a teen fell to his death at the Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park, News 6 has learned the overseas manufacturer of the ride, Funtime Thrill Rides, has at least a dozen amusement rides in Florida.

Attorneys representing the family of a 14-year-old boy who fell to his death from the Orlando FreeFall attraction are holding a news conference.

Inspectors were back at the Orlando FreeFall thrill ride at Icon Park on Monday, testing it yet again and sending the ride carriage into the air, even while leaving the seats on the ground and raising only the top half of the carriage.

The state hired a forensic engineering firm to help investigate the Orlando FreeFall incident that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy.

A woman who claimed to be related to a 14-year-old boy who died after falling from an Orlando thrill ride is not known to the teen’s family, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

It’s been over a week since the death of Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old who was killed in a fall from an Orlando thrill ride while he was vacationing in Florida.

Family and friends of the Missouri teen killed in Orlando held a vigil at his hometown football field on Thursday evening.

As the investigation into Trye Sampson’s death continues, a Central Florida safety expert with more than 30 years of experience believes the accident at Orlando Freefall could be the catalyst needed to make changes to Florida’s ride safety laws.

The cause of a 14-year-old’s fatal fall from an Orlando drop tower attraction last week has not yet been determined as an investigation continues, according to the state agency leading the investigation.

Central Florida lawmakers are responding to News 6’s investigations into Orlando FreeFall.

Florida Sen. Randolph Bracy sent a letter to the state department in charge of investigating what led to the death of a 14-year-old who fell from a thrill ride at ICON Park on Friday, urging it to permanently close the Orlando Free Fall.

Day after day, supporters of Tyre Sampson has gathered outside of ICON Park, in front of the ride where Sampson fell and died last week.

The ride operator of Orlando FreeFall the night of Tyre Sampson’s death had received her training only four and a half weeks prior, according to records released by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

News 6 witnessed workers canvassing the area around the Orlando FreeFall a day after 14-year-old Tyre Sampson's family and supporters called on the company to tear it down at his memorial.

A longtime independent ride safety inspector and expert witness said the ride manual for the FreeFall drop tower — obtained by News 6 from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which is now responsible for investigating the accident — shows that the ride maker and ride operator failed 14-year-old Tyre Sampson.

More than 50 people showed up Monday evening for a vigil honoring 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who died last Thursday evening after falling from the Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park.

The Orlando FreeFall is the subject of scrutiny as state agencies look into what caused a 14-year-old to fall to his death from the ICON Park ride last Thursday.

For hours Monday, complete strangers called for action and showed their support at the ride where Tyre Sampson died.

The owners of ICON Park are demanding the company behind some of its thrill rides to suspend all ride operations in the wake of the death of a teen last week.

A prayer vigil is being held for the 14-year-old boy who died after falling from a drop tower at ICON Park.

Dollywood amusement park in Tennessee says it has temporarily closed a ride developed by the same maker of a free-fall ride from which a teen dropped to his death at a Florida attraction.

A rising middle school football player in Missouri, only 14 but already 6 feet, 5 inches tall and well over 300 pounds, Tyre Sampson fell to his death from a towering Florida amusement ride.

A growing memorial sits in front of the ride with flowers, candles, and poster signed by several people.

Montrey Williams recalled Thursday night when Tyre Sampson, 14, lost his life after somehow falling out of his seat from the ICON Park Free Fall ride.

Attorneys Ben Crump and Bob Hilliard have been hired on retainer to represent the family of Tyre Sampson, 14, who fell to his death Thursday night from the Orlando Free Fall at ICON Park, according to a news release.

News 6 took a closer look into the Orlando Free Fall and the company that operates it Friday after a 14-year-old fell to his death from the ICON Park attraction late Thursday.

The Orlando FreeFall is shut down indefinitely as state inspectors from the Florida Department of Agriculture begin their investigation into how a teen fell from the ride and plummeted to his death Thursday night.

The 911 calls made after a 14-year-old boy plummeted to his death from an Orlando thrill ride were released on Friday afternoon.