Prince of music dead at 57; treated for drug overdose before death

Prince, whose pioneering brand of danceable funk and virtuoso talents made him one of the most influential figures in music, died Thursday at his secluded compound in Minnesota, aged 57.

His sudden death came just a week after the enigmatic Grammy and Oscar winner - acclaimed for his guitar skills and soaring falsetto - was taken to a hospital with a flu-like illness that he later made light of.

Reuters

The news prompted a flood of tributes from the worlds of entertainment and politics, from Barack Obama to Madonna and Mick Jagger, as well as ordinary fans - and even a tweet from NASA of a purple nebula, in Prince's signature color.

"It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning," said his spokeswoman, Yvette Noel-Schure.

The Carver County sheriff's office in Minnesota said that deputies responding to an emergency call found an "unresponsive" Prince in an elevator.

Attempts to resuscitate him failed and he was pronounced dead at 10:07 am (1507 GMT), it said, adding that an investigation had been launched.

Reuters

The sheriff's office released a transcript of a 911 call from an unidentified man at the property who was asked if he was with the patient. "Yes - it's Prince," he replied.

The cause of death remained unclear, although entertainment website TMZ said the musician had been treated for a drug overdose in the week before his death, citing multiple unnamed sources.

He was taken to a hospital after his private jet made an unscheduled landing in Moline, Illinois last Friday following a gig in Atlanta, amid previous reports that he had been battling flu.

"Multiple sources in Moline tell us Prince was rushed to a hospital and doctors gave him a 'save shot'... typically administered to counteract the effects of an opiate," TMZ said.

Reuters

Spokeswoman Martha Weaver from the Anoka County Midwest Medical Examiner's office told AFP that authorities would perform an autopsy on Friday.

Preliminary information would be ready in a few days, but the results of more detailed tests would take a couple of weeks, she said.

911 details released

Prince was reportedly treated for a drug overdose six days before his death on Thursday, according to TMZ.

Reuters

Prince's jet plane made an emergency landing in Moline, Ill., last Friday due to a medical emergency. His rep told Variety at the time that the singer was struggling with the flu.

According to the TMZ report, doctors gave Prince a "safe shot" after he was rushed to the hospital, something reportedly given to counteract the effects of opiates. Doctors apparently advised that Prince stay in the hospital for 24 hours - he left, however, after three hours.

The Carver County Sheriff's Office also released the transcript of the 911 call that an unidentified male made to report Prince's death. The caller said the people at the house were "distraught," and said he didn't know how Prince died.

See the full transcript, which began at 9:43 a.m. on Thursday, below.

Dispatcher: 911, where is your emergency?
Unidentified male: Hi there, um, what's the address here? Yeah we need an ambulance right now.
D: Okay.
UM: We have someone who is unconscious.
D: Okay, what's the address?
UM: Um, we're at Prince's house.
D: Okay, does anybody know the address? Is there any mail around that you could look at?
UM: Yeah, yeah, okay, hold on.
D: Okay, your cell phone's not going to tell me where you're at, so I need you to find me an address.
UM: Yeah, we have um, yeah, we have um, so yeah, um, the person is dead here.
D: Okay, get me the address please.
UM: Okay, okay, I'm working on it.
D: Concentrate on that.
UM: And the people are just distraught.
D: I understand that they are distraught, but...
UM: I'm working on it, I'm working on it.
D: Okay, do we know how the person died?
UM: I don't know, I don't know.
D: Okay.
UM: Um, so we're, we're in Minneapolis, Minnesota and we are at the home of Prince.
D: You're in Minneapolis?
UM: Yeah, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
D: You're sure you are in Minneapolis?
UM: That's correct.
D: Okay, have you found an address yet?
UM: Yeah, um, I'm so sorry I need, I need the address here?
Unidentified female: 7801
UM: 7801
D: 7801 what?
UM: Paisley Park, we are at Paisley Park.
D: You're at Paisley Park, okay, that's in Chanhassen. Are you with the person who's...
UM: Yes, it's Prince.
D: Okay.
UM: The person.
D: Okay, stay on the line with me.
UM: Okay.
(Phone ringing)
Ambulance dispatcher: Ambulance, Shirley.
D: Carver with the transfer for Paisley Park Studios, 78.
AD: Paisley Park Studios, okay.
D: 7801 Audubon Road.
AD: Okay.
D: We have a person down, not breathing.
AD: Down, not breathing.
D: Yup.
UM: He's, he's...
D: We're going to get everybody, go ahead with the transmittal.

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