Indianapolis - Police say a 16-year-old boy was critically injured Thursday afternoon in a fall at the Circle Centre Mall.
Sgt. Paul Thompson says the teen, who is visiting Indianapolis from Booker, Texas, fell three floors - 41 feet - near Carson Pirie Scott. Police say he was sitting on the railing when he fell from the third floor escalator. He suffered blunt trauma injuries.
Police believe the boy, identifed as Phillip Caler, was sitting on the railing where it met the moving hand rail for the escalator when he lost his balance. Witnesses reported that he also struck the rail on the second level as he fell.
The teen, who was in town for the FFA convention, was taken to Methodist Hospital where he is in critical condition.
"A 16-year-old member of FFA who's here for the convention was sitting on a railing at the third level. At some point in time he lost his balance, fell, struck the second level barricade and then fell all the way to the ground," said Sgt. Thompson.
Police are calling it a tragic accident. They do not believe foul play was involved.
The boy's parents have been notified and are flying to Indianapolis.
The FFA says it has 7,429 chapters and 506,199 members and says about 55,000 people were expected to attend the convention.
FFA statement:
Today, 16-year-old Phillip Caler, a sophomore FFA member from Booker, Texas, was seriously injured in a fall at Circle Centre Mall. Phillip's family is with him at Methodist Hospital here in Indianapolis. We have been told that the next 72 hours will be critical in determining his prognosis. No one else was injured in this accident.
Counselors have been made available to Phillip's chapter members to help them deal with the shock of the incident. And the National FFA Organization is doing everything possible to assist and comfort his family during this difficult time.
Phillip's family, fellow chapter members, and the small town of Booker, northeast of Amarillo, are profoundly grateful for the outpouring of thoughts and prayers from FFA members, the city of Indianapolis and supporters all across the country.
As more information becomes available, we will update you in the coming days.
