Published 09:35 22 Jun 2026 GMT
A witness has described a "bloodbath" scene after a father of two fell 150 feet to his death during a Goose concert at Madison Square Garden.
Paul Kueker, 51, was attending the show on Saturday (June 20) with his wife when he fell from an elevated section inside the New York venue shortly before 10PM.
According to the New York Police Department, officers responding to a 911 call found the man, an unconscious and unresponsive person with injuries indicating a fall from an elevated position.
He was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Per Billboard's report, Kueker was in Section 300 of the arena at the time of the incident.
Police do not suspect foul play, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Fans who were inside the arena at the time shared shocking accounts of the moments after the fall.
One person said the fan fell from the upper 200 or 300 level into Section 102 below. The venue's primary seating levels span a height comparable to an average 10-storey building.
"Someone fell. They took him away on a stretcher. They're not letting us back in our section. They're going in with mops and re-seating us. I'm in section 102," they wrote on Reddit.
Another replied: "I was there, they emptied out the section when it happened."
A third concertgoer added: "I was nowhere near the ‘scene’ and it was still so horrifying. The second set was so jarring just kept looking back and forth between the band and the tapped off seats. I ended up leaving early cause of how uneasy the feeling was there. Just horrible. RIP."
Another witness described the aftermath simply as: "Wheeled off and bloodbath."
Kueker's heartbroken family later revealed he had attended the concert to celebrate a major milestone with his wife, Kristen.
The couple was preparing to mark their 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.
"He was the greatest kid in the whole wide world," Kueker's mother, Patricia Finelli, said. "He'd give you the shirt off his back.
"He has two children, a beautiful wife, and he took care of me like I was a piece of gold."
Finelli said her son had left his seat to use the restroom during the concert but never returned.
"He got up to go to the bathroom, and he didn't come back," she said. "[His wife] was getting worried after 10 or 15 minutes. And he didn't come back."
Police officers later located Kristen inside the arena and informed her of the tragedy.
Kueker was also remembered by colleagues at Smartcon, where he worked as a green-energy executive.
"We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of Paul Kueker," said general manager William Brown. "Paul meant the world to everyone at Smartcon.
"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," they added.
Goose shared a statement about Kueker's death after the concert.
"We are deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the tragic event that occurred at tonight's show," the band wrote. "We extend our deepest sympathy to everyone affected. Thank you to the emergency personnel and venue staff who stepped in with care and support."
Madison Square Garden also issued a statement, saying: "While we await the police report on the tragedy at last night's Goose concert, we are deeply saddened by the loss of a fan's life at Madison Square Garden...Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the concertgoer."
The band went ahead with a scheduled performance in Central Park the following evening, explaining they had debated whether to continue.
"We considered whether or not we were going to play and came to the decision that the best thing we can do right now is bring our community together, lean on one another, and offer a space for healing," they said. "So let's be kind to each other tonight and remember our friend."
The group also announced that proceeds from the show would go toward a charitable fund supporting members of their fan community.
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