One person died Sunday in a fall during the graduation ceremony at Ohio State University, the school said.
The incident occurred around noon local time when the person fell from the stands of Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
The identity of the deceased person has not been made public. Both the school and the Franklin County Coroner’s Office have not said whether the person was a student, according to the Columbus Dispatch. It also remains unclear if the fall was unintentional or a deliberate act.
Multiple witnesses told local NBC affiliate WTDN the person who fell was a woman.
The ceremony reportedly continued without interruption as news of the death spread through the crowd. The last of the students and others entering the stadium passed the area where the person fell, which had been quickly cordoned off with yellow tape around where the body was covered.
The death was not remarked upon by any of the ceremony’s speakers.
“We are aware of an incident at the stadium during today’s commencement,” the school said in a statement Sunday night. “An individual fell from the stands. They are deceased. We have no additional details to share at this time. Police and emergency responders are on scene. For anyone affected by today’s incident, we will make counseling and other support resources available.”
The school awarded 12,555 degrees and certificates at the ceremony, according to an unrelated statement.