FacebookAction sports star Erik Roner has died after a freak skydiving accident near Olympic Valley, Calif. He was 39.
Placer County Police confirmed to Variety that the star of MTV's Nitro Circus passed away early Monday morning after suffering fatal injuries during a performance at a local resort.
Roner was part of a group conducting a skydiving stunt for the fourth annual Squaw Valley Institute Celebrity Golf Tournament when, according to deputies, he hit a tree and became entangled above the ground. He died at the scene.
The investigation is ongoing and the FAA has been notified.
Fellow athlete and Nitro Circus star Chad Kagy expressed his condolences on Facebook soon after the news was revealed.
"We lost a member of our Nitro Circus family today," he wrote to followers. "We are all heart broken and surprised to lose Erik Roner."
Kenny Bartram added, "I am saddened by the news of losing one of our Nitro brothers today. I'm gonna miss you Erik Roner . Just doesn't seem real . I'm at a loss. Please pray for his family."
In addition to his presence on Nitro Circus, Roder was part of the Outside Television family as the host of the network's Locals series.
"There are no words that can express this tremendous loss to the Outside Television family. Erik was not only a colleague, but also a personal friend, and it was a joy to watch him celebrate life on a daily basis. We are still trying to process this tragedy," Rob Faris, Senior Vice President of Programming and Production at Outside Television told E! News in a statement. "Our hearts go out to his family."
"The Squaw Valley Institute is mourning Erik's loss, and their deepest sympathies are with his family and friends at this difficult time," the organization also said in a statement.
Roner is survived by his wife and two children. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.