Last night, as Connecticut rock band Goose played the second of two consecutive shows at Madison Square Garden, a 51-year-old man fell to his death. Authorities identified him as Paul Kueker of Niantic, Connecticut. He fell from the upper 300 section into the 100 section, where concertgoers were then evacuated from their seats and the area roped off. The man was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
“At approximately 9:51 p.m. inside Madison Square Garden, officers observed a 51-year-old male unconscious and unresponsive,” the NYPD shared in a statement.
Goose shared their own statement on Instagram regarding the tragic event:
"We are deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the tragic event that occurred at tonight's show. We extend our deepest sympathy to everyone affected. Thank you to the emergency personnel and venue staff who stepped in with care and support."
The show was also being streamed on Amazon Music. Based on posts shared on X and Reddit, after a longer-than-usual set break, the concert continued as medics and police responded to the situation. Concertgoers shared their experiences of the nightmarish scene, with some deciding to leave. Fans who were unable to return to their original seats in the 100 section were reportedly offered General Admission tickets.
UPDATE: Goose's Central Park show is still happening tonight, with proceeds going toward a fund providing support to their fans. The band writes:
We are all reeling following the events that occurred at last nights show. Getting off stage to learn that news was devastating for us and our crew, and we cannot imagine how some of you left the show feeling last night. We want to make all our fans and friends aware of some resources available to them. 9-8-8: Crisis and support hotline that connects callers to counselors anywhere in the country, 24/7, by call, text, or chat.
NAMI NYC 212-684-3264 offers free local support, and the national NAMI HelpLine (1-800-950-6264) can connect you to an affiliate anywhere in the country if you need help outside NYC. Additionally, this week we are working to host group therapy sessions online with guided breathwork, space to share, and smaller breakout circles, each one alongside a licensed therapist or grief counselor. If interested please RSVP at the link in bio/story. More details will be shared this week on time and date of sessions.
We are working with Western Sun Foundation to establish a fund to provide support and resources to our fans. More information will be available in the coming days about what those resources look like and how you can access those funds.
Today's show in Central Park will go on as planned. 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. So let's be kind to each other tonight and remember our friend. Doors are open showtime is 6:00 PM. The show is being streamed on nugs.net and all proceeds will benefit Western Sun Foundation's fan support fund.
UPDATE: The Central Park show was dedicated to Paul Kueker and began with Peter Anspach speaking about the tragedy and asking for a moment of silence. “In moments like this, you realize life is so fragile, we’re so lucky to have an incredible community here around us," he said. "Everybody, if you’re struggling with something, please don’t be afraid to reach out to somebody in your life or send us a message."
