He was pronounced deceased at 10:07 a.m.
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When sheriff’s deputies arrived, “they found an unresponsive male in the elevator”, Olson said.
The sheriff reiterated several times that the investigation into the sudden death of Prince at the age of 57 was only 29 hours old, and much was unknown. Prince was seen in recent years using a cane.
“There was no obvious signs of trauma at all”, Olson said.
An autopsy was completed Friday, but the medical examiner’s office said results wouldn’t be announced for days or weeks. His voice seemed a bit weak at times when he spoke, but he sounded fine when singing during the 80-minute show, which featured “Nothing Compares 2 U” and his finale, “Baby, I’m A Star”. A statement from the medical examiner said relevant information about Prince’s medical and social history will also be gathered as part of the death investigation.
Prince, 57, had been dropped off at the studios by an acquaintance around 8 p.m. Wednesday night, which was the last time he was seen alive, Olson told reporters.
Jeremiah Freed, who runs the website drfunkenberry.com and who got to know Prince after writing about him over the years, said he last saw Prince at the dance party.
Spokeswoman Martha Weaver says she expects the process will take days or even weeks for tests to be completed.
The police have been in touch with Prince’s family, the sheriff said.
An autopsy occurred at 9:30 a.m. and ended 1 p.m.it was performed by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Quinn Strobl.
Last week the singer had a medical emergency, forcing his private jet to make an emergency landing in IL.
Musician Prince performs onstage at the 36th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 19, 2005 in Los Angeles, California.
The NFL’s Minnesota Vikings issued a statement saying the team was “shocked and saddened” by the death of a fan who once wrote a song celebrating the Vikings’ “purple and gold”. She said the man who answered told her Prince was sleeping and would let him know she called.
The Carver County sheriff’s office has released the transcript of the 911 call that was placed when Prince was found unresponsive.
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Prince’s family has been cooperative in the investigation, which will be “meticulous”, he said. He continued: “To you Prince Rogers Nelson was a celebrity, to us he was a community member”.
