A Mississippi State University student died from injuries sustained after falling from the jumbotron video board system at the south end zone of Davis Wade Stadium early Saturday morning.
Andrew Scott Demboski, 21, of Ocean Springs, died from head injuries related to the fall. Demboski and two other male students climbed to the top of the video board around 1:30 a.m., according to Oktibbeha County Coroner Michael Hunt.
"It is just terrible," Hunt said.
The MSU junior fell 18 feet from a metal awning at the top of the video board to a concrete structure about 120 feet above the ground, according to Starkville Fire Chief Charles Yarbrough.
"Our guys faced something they hadn't faced before," Yarbrough said.
SFD rescuers had to improvise a rig system using high-angle rescue techniques to lower Demboski after the main firetruck's 100 foot ladder was unable to reach him.
Authorities worked to save Demboski for an hour while being moved from the concrete structure to the ground.
"One of our guys was in the basket with him providing rescue breaths," Yarbrough said. "It was a tense situation because we had a victim and on of our guys up there as well."
MSU officials confirmed the death on Saturday morning.
"Andrew was a very talented student," said MSU Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter in an emailed statement. "Our campus is saddened by this loss on the day of Spring Commencement and we all mourn Andrew's passing and are keeping his family in our prayers."
An autopsy will be conducted, Hunt said.
It is unclear how the students entered the stadium.
"An investigation into this incident is ongoing by MSU and county officials," Salter said in the emailed statement.
MSU will update the situation at noon on May 9, officials said.
"It's a tragic incident," Yarbrough said. "We really hate that it happened."