Official Says No Signs Of Trauma On Prince's Body; Fan Tributes Continue To Pour In
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- An official said Friday afternoon that no signs of trauma were found on Prince's body, but declined to provide much detail about the investigation.
An autopsy was performed Friday, a day after the 57-year-old music superstar was found dead at his Paisley Park studio compound in the Minneapolis suburb of Chanhassen. Authorities said it could take days or even weeks before the public learns the cause of his death.
"Anything which could be relevant to the investigation will be taken into consideration," the Midwest Medical Examiners Office said in a statement. "The Midwest Medical Examiners Office will not release information until the exam is complete and all results are obtained. Gathering the results will take several days and the results of a full toxicology scan could likely take weeks."
At a news conference Friday afternoon, Midwest Medical Examiner's Office spokeswoman Martha Weaver declined to comment on whether Prince might have died of a drug overdose. She said questions about whether Prince had been dead overnight in the elevator where he was found were still "pending" as of Friday.
Carver County, Minnesota Sheriff Jim Olson also discussed the investigation at the news conference Friday afternoon, but said there was little new information that could be released.
Olson said there had been no obvious signs of trauma on Prince's body. He said the crime lab from neighboring Hennepin County had been called in to assist in the investigation, but "there should be no inference taken from that."
Olson reiterated that the results of the autopsy could take "several weeks."
"This will continue to be an open investigation until the autopsy results come back," he said.
Olson declined to speculate or get into specifics about the cause of Prince's death. He said there was no reason to believe it was a suicide, but declined further comment on the subject, saying, "This is early on in this investigation."
"We'll be talking to people that are close to him. We'll be gathering from medical records, and taking a look at those between us and the Medical Examiner's office, and working off of it from there," Olson said.
Officials also said they could not confirm whether Prince was on any medication at the time of his death, CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported.
Prince's body was released to his family late Friday.
Prince's death Thursday sparked an outpouring of grief from fans, with hundreds gathering outside his studio and in downtown Minneapolis and many more posting remembrances on social networks.
PHOTOS: Prince Tributes | Prince Through The Years
In Harlem, Prince's "When Doves Cry" blasted outside of the Apollo Theater as fans gathered the under the lights of the marquee, fondly remembering the music legend.
"It hit me like he's a part of the family," Washington Heights resident Darryl Cortez told CBS2's Janelle Burrell.
A fan named Ixchel said she got a chance to meet Prince once in Switzerland. An unwavering follower since the beginning, she even worked as an impersonator.
"It is my loss," Ixchel said. "It is all of our loss, but it is my loss and I feel this really, really a lot."
Several fans kept vigil outside the Apollo overnight.
"It's a celebration of life," fan David Nixon told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck. "Prince was in a world of his own."
Karen Menardy, who put together a sidewalk memorial almost immediately after word of Prince's passing, had been outside the Apollo for almost 24 hours. She said it's where she needs to be.
"Coming out here with all the fans, I feel happy and with a family and we all got love for him," she said.
Vendors along 125th Street were also selling commemorative T-shirts Friday. Trisha, a mother of four, bought three.
"Very big fan," she said. "I made my children off of him."
Elsewhere in the city, Madison Square Garden and Brooklyn Borough Hall were awash in his signature purple on Thursday.
In Fort Greene, filmmaker Spike Lee drew a crowd of roughly 1,000 people Thursday night for an impromptu street party in honor of Prince Rodgers Nelson.
Fans brought their babies and their dogs, dancing to Prince's music in front of Lee's 40 Acres & A Mule production company. Police shut down the block for the celebration that was going strong late into the night.
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In Times Square, Prince's high-heeled purple boots are on display at the Hard Rock Cafe and at there was a tribute to the artist at the Prince Street subway stop in SoHo.
And stars of Broadway's "The Color Purple'' performed a rendition of Prince's hit "Purple Rain.'' The show posted a video of the performance led by Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo online late Thursday.
Lin-Manuel Miranda and the cast of the hit show "Hamilton" also honored Prince, dancing to "Let's Go Crazy."
In New Orleans, the Mercedes-Benz Superdome glowed with the late singer's color, as did San Francisco's City Hall.
Prince was a legend who inspired legends, such as Stevie Wonder.
"As far as saying I influenced him, I feel honored," Wonder said. "But he influenced me too."
And many other celebrities also took to Twitter to express their sadness Thursday.
Basketball star Magic Johnson wrote that he was "so devastated by the passing of my good friend Prince.''
Oprah Winfrey said, "Prince, the doves really are crying now.''
Mick Jagger said Prince's "talent was limitless. He was one of the most unique and talented artists of the last 30 years.''
Tommy Mottola, former CEO and chairman of Sony Music, said, "Lots of big stars have made waves nationally and internationally, but Prince by far was the most groundbreaking more than anyone --- from his music, to his concerts to even the way he entered a room -- always surrounded with that magical air of superstardom, mystique and genius.''
President Barack Obama said "the world lost a creative icon."
"Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent. As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all. Funk. R&B. Rock and roll. He was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader, and an electrifying performer," Obama said in a statement.
Prince postponed a concert in Atlanta on April 7, saying he had fallen ill with the flu, and he apologized to fans during a makeup concert last week.
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