The death of a married Connecticut father of two who fell from a 150-foot-high balcony during a Goose concert at Madison Square Garden earlier this summer has been ruled accidental, officials said Monday.
Paul Kueker, 51, of Niantic, was attending the June 20 show with his wife to mark their 25th wedding anniversary when he went head-first over a balcony in the arena’s 300-level section. Nearly two months later, the city medical examiner’s office determined the fatal fall was an accident.
Kueker died from “multiple blunt impact injuries,” officials said.
Witnesses told law-enforcement sources that Kueker “appeared intoxicated” and “under the influence” before he fell over the 4-foot-high glass barrier shortly before 10 p.m., sources previously told The Post.
One shaken concertgoer told The Post he saw Kueker’s head land “like a foot to the left of my shoes” after the fall.
“Within a few seconds, I was standing in blood,” the traumatized witness said.
Video footage reviewed exclusively by The Post showed Kueker going head-first over the barrier. The witness said he heard a sudden, loud bang moments later, followed by screams from people calling for help.
The witness said the fall occurred during intermission, when roughly 25% to 50% of attendees were still in their seats.
Kueker served as the director of operations for the energy management company Smartcon Solutions.
“Paul meant the world to everyone at Smartcon,” William Brown, the company’s general manager, said in a statement.
“He was an extraordinary person and a valued member of our team, and the loss is felt deeply across our entire company. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. He will be profoundly missed.”
The band, meanwhile, began selling a “Big Love” t-shirt online, saying all of the proceeds would go to a GoFundMe fundraiser set up by Kueker’s family.
