During the conference, Sheriff Jim Olson revealed that there is no reason to believe that Prince’s death was a suicide, and that there were no obvious signs of trauma to the body.
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Authorities responded to a medical call at Prince’s Paisley Park on Thursday morning and found him unresponsive in an elevator.
Prince’s autopsy and the latest on his passing were discussed in a press conference on Friday afternoon.
The plane on which Prince was traveling from Atlanta last week made an emergency landing due to an “unresponsive male” passenger, a source with direct knowledge of the incident told NBC News.
According to Olson, Prince was last seen by an acquaintance who had dropped him off at his Paisley Park residence around 8 p.m. on Wednesday. He was a visible and integrated member of the Minneapolis community – even filming his 1984 theatrical megahit Purple Rain and its lackluster 1990 sequel, Graffiti Bridge, there – a standing not lost on even those investigating his sudden death.
The son of a jazz musician and singer, he learned guitar, piano and drums by the age of 14.
In light of reports that Prince possibly suffered from a drug overdose or the complications of a previous drug overdose, Olson said that he wouldn’t comment on any medications Prince was taking, nor his health.
Prince, who traveled the world and attained worldwide superstardom during his 40-year musical career, had always stayed close to home in Minnesota.
A spokeswoman for the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office says the agency doesn’t plan to release any preliminary information until autopsy results are completed.
A cause of death for Prince remains “pending” following the completion of an initial autopsy on Friday (22Apr16). He appeared on Saturday before a group of fans at a Paisley Park dance party, where he was shown a new purple Yamaha piano and a guitar that was made for the artist in Europe.
Obama said “I love Prince because he put out great music and he was a great performer”. When friends and associates were unable to reach him on Thursday morning they went to Paisley Park and called police. Yea we need an ambulance right now.
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“There have been so many rumors I’ve read about”, Olson said.
