Dad-of-two 'jumped' to his death over barrier at Madison Square Garden concert while drunk, witnesses tell police

By WILKO MARTÍNEZ-CACHERO, US REPORTER Published: 15:33, 23 June 2026 | Updated: 15:44, 23 June 2026 A father-of-two who fell to his death at a Madison Square Garden show jumped from a balcony, witnesses reportedly said. Paul Kueker, 51, died on Saturday night when he plunged from 150 feet while attending a packed Goose rock concert inside the famous New York City arena. Witnesses told law enforcement that Kueker, of Niantic, Connecticut, 'appeared intoxicated' before he dived off a balcony in the 300 level, according to The New York Post. Kueker, who was at the concert with his wife Kristen, also seemed to be 'under the influence,' per witnesses cited by the outlet. His wife was three sections away in the couple's seats when her husband reportedly jumped to his death from Madison Square Garden's elevated seating known as the Chase Bridge, which features a catwalk-type design that perches over lower sections. The dad-of-two's fatal fall was reportedly captured on video. Kueker jumped head-first over the 4-foot-high glass barrier and caused minor injuries to multiple people after falling on them, the report added. Officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) found Kueker unconscious and unresponsive around 9.51pm Saturday, which authorities have only said was 'indicative of falling from an elevated position.' Paul Kueker, 51, died Saturday night at Madison Square Garden after fatally falling from the 300 section. Witnesses have claimed in a new report that he seemed to be 'under the influence' A photo of Paul Kueker, seemingly during a live performance, posted by his daughter Kloe on GoFundMe Kueker fell onto these seats causing minor injuries to several spectators, per the report The New York City Police Department told the Daily Mail on Tuesday morning that it was unable to confirm those reported claims by witnesses. The Daily Mail also reached out to the New York City medical examiner's office to ask if there were any indications that Kueker was under the influence at the time of his death. 'We are investigating,' the medical examiner's office said. 'The cause and manner of death are pending further study.' Kueker's mother, Patti Finelli, said her son and his wife were at the Goose concert ahead of their 25th anniversary on Tuesday. He had just celebrated his son's high school graduation two days earlier, she told the New York Daily News. Finelli said Kueker left his seat to go to the bathroom and was gone for so long that his wife Kristen was concerned. 'He got up to go to the bathroom and he didn't come back,' Finelli told the outlet. 'She was getting worried after 10 or 15 minutes. And he didn't come back.' Keuker was at the Madison Square Garden show on Saturday ahead of his 25-year anniversary with his wife on Tuesday, according to his mother The New York City medical examiner's office told the Daily Mail that Kueker's death was 'pending further study,' while the NYPD declined to comment on the witness' reported claims  In a GoFundMe fundraiser, Kueker's daughter, Kloe, remembered him as a 'loving father, family man, and friend whose presence brought warmth and laughter wherever he went.' She described her dad's death as a 'tragic accident.' Sections of seating were cordoned off moments after Kueker's fall while emergency responders made their way through the Midtown Manhattan arena. One image of the aftermath shared by a concertgoer showed several seats caved in. 'Someone fell,' one witness, who claimed to be in section 102, wrote. 'They took him away on a stretcher. They're not letting us back in our section. They're going in with mops and re-seating us.' Another added: 'We were there, my friend saw him fall to the section below us.' A third user said that the thud caused was so loud that they thought it was a 'balloon popping.' One Facebook user claimed that a venue worker had told him that the 'man jumped on his own' and alleged he had been acting erratically. The suspended Chase Bridge, where Kueker fell to his death from, was built in 2013. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital after the fall and declared dead shortly afterwards. Witnesses at MSG claimed that Keuker's fall made a massive sound that sounded like a 'balloon popping' Another witness previously claimed that he had been told Keuker had 'jumped on his own' during the Goose show after supposedly acting erratically Goose said in a statement that they were 'heartbroken' about his death. The group, which consists of Rick Mitarotonda, Trevor Weeks, Peter Anspach and Cotter Ellis, is on a 27-date, 19-city tour across the US and Canada. '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 [Saturday] night,' the group said on Instagram. The band played a planned concert Sunday in Central Park with donations going towards a charitable fund that would provide support and resources for their fans. The Daily Mail has reached out to Madison Square Garden for comment. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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