Circus performer hit by arrow at New York county fair
A circus performer was accidentally shot in the neck with an arrow during a crossbow act at the Orange County Fair in upstate New York on Friday night. Edwin Cuervo Rangel was airlifted in stable condition, later released, and is expected to recover as the fair continued without the stunt.
Key Takeaways
- Edwin Cuervo Rangel, 38, was struck in the neck when Ana Daza Tavera’s arrow missed a foam target during a Circus Murcia act at the Orange County Fair.
- He was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center in stable condition Friday night and released Saturday after the arrow was removed and he received stitches.
- Ringmaster Benjamin Jackson said the arrow hit soft tissue with no major blood vessels; shows resumed Saturday without the crossbow act.
- New York State Police said the incident remains under investigation while the fair continues through Aug. 2.
What happened at the Orange County Fair?
According to state police and organizers, the accident unfolded Friday night during a performance at the Orange County Fair in Middletown, northwest of New York City. Fox News reported the show was in the town of Wallkill at about 9:30 p.m.
Ana Daza Tavera, 42, and Edwin Cuervo Rangel, 38, both of Waukesha, Wisconsin, were performing their crossbow sharpshooting act when she accidentally struck him in the neck with an arrow as he held up a foam target, ABC News reported, citing police and organizers.
Fox News, citing News 12, said the performers are married. No other injuries were reported. The circus was canceled for the night after Cuervo Rangel was airlifted.
How serious was the neck injury?
Cuervo Rangel was taken to Westchester Medical Center in stable condition. Benjamin Jackson, ringmaster at Circus Murcia, said Monday that Cuervo Rangel was luckily struck on the side of his neck in a spot with mostly soft tissue and no major blood vessels.
“No blood leaking out. There was a little around the hole where the arrow went in, kind of like getting your ear pierced,” Jackson said, according to ABC News.
Cuervo Rangel was released from the hospital Saturday after the arrow was safely removed and he received stitches, Jackson said. He will need time to heal before he can resume performing but was “walking around, talking, eating, enjoying life,” Jackson added.
Circus Murcia owner Alexander Murcia told the Hudson Valley Post, as reported by Fox News, that Cuervo Rangel is expected to make a full recovery and thanked first responders and medical staff.
Did the fair and circus keep running?
The circus returned to its regular schedule of three shows a day on Saturday, minus the crossbow act. The Orange County Fair opened Thursday and is scheduled to run daily through Aug. 2.
The Big Top Circus featuring Circus Murcia is new to the fair this year, with acrobatics and aerial performances promoted on the fair’s website, Fox News reported. Police said the incident remains under investigation.
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