Police Department Gallup County, New Mexico, has shared details of the events that took place in the hours leading up to Tito Jackson's death Sunday evening. The musician suffered a medical emergency near the American Heritage Plaza shopping center before being taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead at the age of 70.
According to a statement from the Gallup Police Department, an officer stationed near the mall called an ambulance after being told that a person needed immediate medical attention. “The individual was then transported to a local hospital in Gallup, New Mexico, where he was pronounced deceased,” the statement read. “The hospital subsequently requested the presence of detectives and the medical examiner’s office.”
Jackson was on a road trip at the time. While the exact cause of death has not yet been released, the preliminary investigation is ongoing. “Investigators are actively interviewing witnesses and reviewing physical and electronic records,” the police department said. “The department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may evolve as additional evidence is collected and analyzed.”
Jackson's three children — Taj, Tarell and TJ — released a joint statement on social media Monday about their father's death. “We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken,” they wrote. “Our father was a wonderful man who cared about everyone and their well-being.”
Earlier this month, Jackson performed in Surrey, England, with his brothers Jackie and Marlon, the last time they would perform together. Before returning to America last week, the musicians visited a memorial in Munich, Germany, dedicated to their late brother Michael. “We are so grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory but also our shared legacy,” Jackson wrote on Facebook. “Thank you for keeping his spirit alive.”
Jackson was born Toriano Adarrell Jackson on October 15, 1953, in Gary, Indiana. He later moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The musician is survived by his brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon, and Jackie; his sisters Janet, Rebbie, and La Toya; and his mother, Katherine.
