A patron at Gammage Auditorium sustained a fall from the theater’s grand tier balcony into the seating below on Sunday afternoon, hospitalizing four.
According to a statement released by ASU Police, the man fell during a performance of “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” around 2:20 p.m. after the patron wanted to use a restroom and assumed there was a walkway on the other side of the balcony wall.
According to the statement, the patron wanted to use the assumed walkway to not bother other theatergoers.
“He didn't want to inconvenience people, so he stood up on the chair and stepped over the wall which is about two feet above your head when you're sitting,“ the statement read.
Police say they received the 911 call for help at 2:20 p.m. and stated that units were at the scene by 2:22 p.m.
It looks like everyone is going to be okay fortunately, but seeing three people leave on stretchers during intermission was downright scary.
— 1224 R005 (@izzyroo) November 27, 2016
“The entire ASU PD unit arrived within four minutes,“ ASU Police said in the statement.
The statement added that Gammage staff were on the scene “almost immediately.”
Police said that several injuries were sustained by patrons, adding that four were taken to hospitals. According to the statement, Tempe Fire indicated that all injuries sustained are non-life threatening.
“The ASU PD and the EMTs from the Tempe Fire Department had affected patrons stabilized and transported within 30 minutes,” ASU Police said in the statement.
Reach the reporter at jdarge@asu.edu or follow @jeffdarge on Twitter.
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