A post-mortem examination into the sudden death of music icon Prince is under way in Minnesota.
Police found the 57-year-old singer/songwriter unresponsive inside an elevator at his Paisley Park home just outside Minneapolis on Thursday and paramedics were unable to revive him.
As fans plan a series of tribute events around the world and celebrities continue to share their thoughts about the death of an icon, officials are now trying to determine how the Purple Rain singer died, amid reports suggesting he was treated for an overdose of the painkiller Percocet last week. Sources told TMZ Prince was taking the drug for a hip problem.
The post-mortem examination began at 9 AM local time on Friday, but it may be weeks before the Midwest medical examiner releases a report. “Gathering the results will take several days and the results of a full toxicology scan could likely take weeks,” a statement reads.
“As part of a complete exam, relevant information regarding Mr. Nelson’s (Prince) medical and social history will be gathered. Anything which could be relevant to the investigation will be taken into consideration.”
Prince was briefly hospitalized a week ago (April 15) after his plane made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois en route home from a gig in Atlanta, Georgia. The star’s publicist told the media he was treated for the flu and returned home to recuperate.
Meanwhile, fans gathering to pay their respects outside his Paisley Park pad on Thursday evening were briefly joined by Prince’s sister, Tyka Nelson.
“He loved all of you,” she reportedly told devotees. “Thank you for loving him back.”
Tyka also posted messages to fans on Facebook, writing, “Hi, Thank U 4 Loving My Brother! He LOVED Playing His Music & I KNOW He Loved U 2 (sic).”
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