Richard Sheffield, 55, was a member of a professional skydive team.
Veteran skydiver Richard Sheffield, 55, died in a horrific skydiving accident in front of a crowd of hundreds of stunned spectators at a Tennessee high school football game on Friday.Richard Sheffield was a member of the skydiving team from Tennessee's Washington County that was hired to perform prior to a high school football game.
The annual football game event in Washington County was to feature a stunt landing by Sheffield and his skydiving team, but instead he crashed into a field behind the stadium. Sheffield was declared dead at a hospital in the neighbourhood.
According to the New York Post report, "Terrified fans on the ground were heard shrieking and screaming as the skydiver plummeted towards the ground at a speed that appeared way too fast for a safe landing. The video was frozen before the deadly impact. "
Sheffield was part of a group of paratroopers that traditionally entertained fans before the school's "Musket Bowl" and had more than 1500 jumps to his credit, his group Jump TN told the local station, the report further said.
The group said there was nothing out of the ordinary about his dive or the parachute, which was reportedly deployed without incident.
Richard Sheffield's group Jump TN reportedly said, "He was a highly experienced jumper with decades of experience to his credit and a well-respected member of the skydiving community."
"The entire skydiving community is saddened by the sudden loss of a wonderful member of their community."