SAY IT ISN'T SO.. MICHAEL JACKSON DEAD AT 50

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Lynn Elber, Associated Press Writer – 19 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson, the sensationally gifted child star who rose to become the "King of Pop" and the biggest celebrity in the world only to fall from his throne in a freakish series of scandals, died Thursday. He was 50. Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Ed Winter, the assistant chief coroner for Los Angeles County, confirmed his office had been notified of the death and would handle the investigation.

The circumstances of Jackson's death were not immediately clear. Jackson was not breathing when Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to a call at his Los Angeles home about 12:30 p.m., Capt. Steve Ruda told the Los Angeles Times. The paramedics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda told the newspaper.

Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.



The Los Angeles Fire Department was called to Jackson's residence at 12:26 p.m. P.T., according to the Los Angeles Times. Paramedics performed CPR on Jackson, who was not breathing when they arrived at his home. He was rushed to LA Medical Center, just six miles from his home.

"For a long time he was unquestionably the most famous person on the planet," Jed Hilly, the executive director of the Americana Music Assocation, told ABCNews.com.

Watch "The Life and Death of Michael Jackson" on a special edition of "20/20" TONIGHT at 9 p.m. ET.