Authorities in Belvidere have identified the man who was killed when a roof collapsed during a concert at the Apollo Theatre as severe storms wreaked havoc on the region Friday night.
Frederick Forest Livingston Jr. died from injuries he sustained when the roof came down at around 8 p.m., minutes after a tornado warning was issued for the area.
"It appears he was under the debris that fell, and some of the concertgoers drug him out of there," Dan Zaccard, Boone County Emergency Management director said. "We found actually in a safer area, but he was already gone. There was absolutely nothing we could do."
Livingston Jr.'s family, through his sister, Deanna Hicks, issued the following statement regarding his death:
"On behalf of the family of Frederick Forest Livingston, Jr. Fred was a son, brother, father, uncle and grandpa. Fred was a car (proud owner of a 1967 GTO) and Heavy Metal enthusiast," the statement read. "Fred had a big heart and cared for others deeply. Please keep all of Fred's family and friends in your thoughts. Please respect our privacy."
At least 48 others sustained injuries in the collapse, and of those, five were said to be in critical condition.
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Speaking at the scene Saturday, the city's fire chief commended concertgoers for their bravery.
"People making a sacrifice to help someone that they probably don't even know," Fire Chief Shawn Schadle said.
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The theater was condemned Saturday, as was a building across the street that was also significantly damaged by the storm.
Schadle noted that the city of Belvidere will work to preserve the Apollo Theatre, though structural engineers are slated to assess the building to determine if it's salvageable.
