Thursday, April 21, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Prince was unresponsive in an elevator when the musician was found by sheriff's deputies who had been called to his suburban Minneapolis compound, a Minnesota sheriff said today.
Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson said deputies responded to a medical call about 9:43 a.m. Medical personnel tried CPR, but couldn't revive the 57-year-old Prince, who was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m.
A cause of death wasn't immediately determined. An autopsy was scheduled for Friday.
The singer's death came two weeks after he canceled concerts in Atlanta because he wasn't feeling well. He performed April 14 in Atlanta, apologizing to the crowd shortly after coming on stage.
Later on, while talking to the crowd between songs, he joked about having been "under the weather," giving a slight smile. His voice seemed a bit weak at times when he spoke, but he sounded fine when singing during his 80-minute show, which included everything from songs made famous by others ("Nothing Compares 2 U") to his finale to the first show of the evening, "Baby, I'm A Star."
He sat at his piano most of the show, but stood up at times to pound the keys and walked around the piano a couple of times, soaking up cheers.
Following news reports that he had fallen ill while returning from Atlanta to Minneapolis, Prince hosted a dance party on April 16 at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota.