Police still investigating

Tito Jackson: Tragic emergency before his death

Mourning for Tito Jackson

(Bild: APA Pool/AFP/LEON NEAL)

Tito Jackson suffered a medical emergency at a shopping mall before his death. With the preliminary investigation still ongoing, police have so far only confirmed that he was taken to hospital in an ambulance following the incident in New Mexico earlier this evening.

A press release from the Gallup Police Department states, "An officer was stopped near American Heritage Plaza at 702 US Highway 491. The officer was made aware of an individual in need of medical assistance and immediately requested an ambulance. The individual was subsequently transported to a local hospital in Gallup, NM, where he was pronounced dead."

A cause of death has not yet been released, but the person has been identified as Tito. The singer died on Sunday at the age of 70. On Monday, however, US media said he had died of a heart attack.

Visit to the Michael Jackson shrine
Just a few days before his death, Tito posted his last post on Instagram. During a trip to Germany, he shared his experiences of visiting a shrine dedicated to his brother Michael Jackson - who died in 2009. Alongside a picture of him admiring the memorial, the singer wrote: "Before our show in Munich, my brothers Jackie, Marlon and I visited the beautiful memorial dedicated to our beloved brother Michael Jackson. We are deeply grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory, but also our shared legacy. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive."

The brothers were in Germany as part of a tour as The Jacskons with the revived group, which featured Tito alongside his son Taryll (49) and brothers Marlon (67) and Jackie (73). Their last show together took place on September 10 in Munich.

"Our father was an incredible man"
Following Tito's death, Taryll and his brothers Taj and TJ - who performed as the pop group 3T - shared a statement paying tribute to their father. In a post on Instagram, the trio wrote: "We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about all people and their wellbeing. Some of you may know him as Tito Jackson of the legendary Jackson Five, some may know him as 'Coach Tito' or some may know him as 'Poppa T'. Either way, he will be greatly missed. It will forever be 'Tito time' for us. Please remember to do what our father always preached and that is 'Love one another'. We love you, Pops."