Father of two, Paul Kueker, dies after falling from upper deck during Madison Square Garden concert
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Paul Kueker, a Connecticut father of two, has been identified as the concertgoer who died after falling from an elevated seating area during a Goose concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday, June 2o, night, just one day before Father's Day.
Kueker, 51, of Niantic, Connecticut, was attending the second of two sold-out performances by the jam band Goose when the incident occurred shortly before 10 pm. Authorities said he was found unresponsive after falling from an upper section of the arena and was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Family and colleagues remember father of two
Kueker's mother, Patricia Finelli, described her son as a devoted family man and caring individual while speaking after the incident. “He was the greatest kid in the whole wide world,” Finelli said. “He’d give you the shirt off his back."
Reflecting on his family life, she added, “He has two children, a beautiful wife, and he took care of me like I was a piece of gold.”
Kueker worked as director of operations for energy-management company Smartcon Solutions. The company paid tribute to him in a statement issued following his death. “We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of Paul Kueker,” said William Brown, general manager of Smartcon.
“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.”
According to reports, Kueker had been attending the concert with his wife when the incident occurred.
Fall occurred during Goose concert at Madison Square Garden
Police said officers responded to Madison Square Garden after receiving reports of a person who had fallen from an elevated seating area. Reports indicated he fell from the Chase Bridge, an elevated seating section added to the arena in 2013 that spans above the venue floor. Other reports described the location as part of the arena's 300-level seating area.
Goose was performing its second consecutive show at the venue when the incident took place. The Connecticut-based band completed its scheduled set before later addressing the tragedy in a statement.
“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the tragic event that occurred at tonight’s show,” the band said. “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 Entertainment also stated on Sunday, June 21, “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,” the company said. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the concertgoer.”
The incident marked another fatal accident at the iconic New York venue. In 2023, a man died after falling several stories inside Madison Square Garden following a Rangers game.
