Teen killed at Ohio State Fair had just joined Marines

An 18-year-old man killed at the Ohio State Fair Wednesday had recently enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Tyler Jarrell, of Columbus, was pronounced dead at the fair after being thrown off the Fire Ball ride during a malfunction.

RELATED: Company orders rides closed after fair accident

Seven others were injured, and at least three remain in critical condition.

Those injured are:

  • Tamika Dunlap, 36, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio;
  • Russell Franks, 42, of Columbus, Ohio;
  • Keziah Lewis, 19, of Columbus, Ohio;
  • Jacob Andrews, 22, of Pataskala, Ohio;
  • Jennifer Lambert, 18, of Columbus, Ohio;
  • Abdihakim Hussein, 19, of Columbus, Ohio; and
  • A 14 year-old male whose name is being withheld.

Three of the seven injured remain at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, with two in critical condition and one in serious.

Three of the others injured were taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, and two were released by Thursday morning. Lambert remains there in critical condition, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

A statement was released Thursday afternoon on behalf of families of three injured at the fair that remain at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

“We want to thank the community for its outpouring of concern for our loved ones who are being treated at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. We appreciate all of your prayers, and we are keeping those who were injured and died in our prayers as well. As we focus our attention on the long healing process, we are asking media and the community to respect our privacy during this very difficult time. We are declining media requests for interviews at this time. Thank you.”

Anyone who witnessed the accident and can help investigators, call 614-799-6633.

Wednesday was opening day of the 2017 Ohio State Fair in Columbus.

How do fair ride inspections work?

In an interview with the Columbus Dispatch, Clarrisa Williams, mother of Tyler Jarrell’s girlfriend Keziah Lewis, said the teen had just joined the Marines.

Keziah Lewis was also injured on the Fire Ball ride, Clarrisa Williams said.

"She kept asking for her boyfriend," Clarrisa Williams told the Columbus Dispatch. "I had to tell her he was the one who was deceased."

Jarrell was thrown into the air and landed on the ground about 50 feet from the ride, according to the Columbus Dispatch report.

RELATED: Greene County confident in safety after state fair tragedy

Clarrisa Williams said her daughter, 19, doesn’t remember anything from the accident. She is recovering from pelvis, rib and ankle injuries.

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