CNN: Boy, 6, killed by flying debris at monster truck rally; show continues anyway

[Toe Jam]

http://www.komonews.com/news/37765479.html

TACOMA, Wash. - A 6-year-old boy was killed and a man was hurt after they were hit by flying chunks of metal while watching a monster truck rally at the Tacoma Dome on Friday night, officials confirmed.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner identified the boy as Sabastian Hizey of Puyallup.

The gruesome accident happened just after 10 p.m. Friday during the Monster Jam, when an apparent mechanical malfunction in a truck's driveline, under the cab, caused metal fragments to spew out toward the crowd amid a burst of sparks.

Witnesses said the red truck was driving in circles, and a spray of metal pieces came off of the truck and flew over a safety barrier. The pieces knocked the man off of his feet and hit the boy in the head, causing them to bleed and creating a rather gruesome scene.

"It was just a horrendous scene," said witness Gabe Mausten. "It was very disturbing scene."

After the boy was hit, witnesses said a man in shock rose up from his seat and began yelling, "My kid is dead! My kid is dead!" The boy's father was not injured.

The boy and the injured man were treated at the scene and taken to an area hospital by ambulance, fire officials said. The boy later was declared dead by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.

Witnesses said after the accident, people began leaving in droves but event organizers continued on with the show.

"It was kind of angering a lot of people that they didn't even stop the show," Mausten said.

Witnesses said some people in the crowd began throwing beer and glass containers at the truck from which the debris was believed to have come.

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[Skins PR]

The show must continue . . .

Yup... first rule of the monster truck biz

[Toe Jam]

Yup... first rule of the monster truck biz

Do you believe that's the right move when a little kid gets impaled in the crowd?

[Bubble Screen]

Do you believe that's the right move when a little kid gets impaled in the crowd?

The story doesn't say anything about him getting impaled. But, yes, most definitely, they should have stopped the show.

[Toe Jam]

The story doesn't say anything about him getting impaled. But, yes, most definitely, they should have stopped the show.

I assume what's what happens when a chunk of metal hits you and then there's blood everywhere and your dead.

[AsburySkinsFan]

I read about this earlier this morning, and it stole my heart. My son and I love monster trucks and Monster Jam, even went to a show 2 years ago. I cannot imagine the horror of what happened, and I am dumbfounded that they continued the show like it didn't happen. Monster Jam has always tried to pride themselves on being about the fans...it seems however they let the fans down in a big way with this move. Freak accident? To be sure...but have a heart and stop the show, the money you'll have to reimburse for the tickets pales in comparison to what you're going to being paying that kid's family anyways. Stop the show.

[AsburySkinsFan]

I assume what's what happens when a chunk of metal hits you and then there's blood everywhere and your dead.

Impale is a particular type of injury I think is what the other poster is getting at. A spear impales, a bat bludgeons, they boy probably died as a result of blunt force trauma, not that it makes ANY difference what so ever to that boy or his family.

[Bubble Screen]

Impale is a particular type of injury I think is what the other poster is getting at. A spear impales, a bat bludgeons, they boy probably died as a result of blunt force trauma, not that it makes ANY difference what so ever to that boy or his family.

this

[Larry]

I suspect my perspective may be somewhat at odds from the vast majority of the people here, but I don't necessarily have a problem with this.

Anybody got anything they can point at that says that this particular show was any more dangerous, for example, than any other monster truck show? Any reason to assume that the second half of the show was any more dangerous than the first half?

After that US Airways jet went into the Hudson, did La Guardia halt all flights for the rest of the day? Or did they keep going?

If the kid had died in an accident on the Interstate, should all traffic on the interstate be halted, in commemoration of the tragedy?

After Challenger blew up, was it really necessary, for safety reasons, to ground the US's entire space program for, what, three years?, while Congress "supervised"?

All activities have a risk. And people perform a risk/benefit assessment when they chose to participate in that activity. Yeah, changing events should serve as a "Hey! Maybe you oughtta re-evaluate your risk/benefit assessment, guy!".

I'm just saying that the results of that assessment aren't necessarily always that the activity must immediately halt.

----------

Yes, possible counter-argument: Part of the "risk/benefit assessment" is the "benefit" part. Interstate highways and the air travel system, it could well be argued, have more of a "benefit" than entertainment. And therefore, shutting them down because one person died would have a much bigger impact on society than shutting down an entertainment event.

I'm not certain whether I would vote for shutting down this show or not. All I'm pointing out is that I don't think the "right" answer is as clear-cut as a lot of folks seem to be implying.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

It's called common decency Larry.

[Toe Jam]

It's called common decency Larry.

Correct.

[Larry]

It's called common decency Larry.

So, if he'd died on the highway, how long does "common decency" demand that the highway be closed?

[/devil's advocate]

[Bubble Screen]

It's called common decency Larry.

I think Larry said he was one of those guys that does the speed limit in the left-hand lane. I don't think he knows what common decency is.

[Bubble Screen]

So, if he'd died on the highway, how long does "common decency" demand that the highway be closed?

[/devil's advocate]

apples to oranges, bro

[KNGwithOUTaCrwN]

omg,thats terrible.

[Larry]

apples to oranges, bro

Because . . . ?

Edit: If one of the customers had died of a heart attack, would "common decency" demand the same response?

[Prosperity]

Because . . . ?

Edit: If one of the customers had died of a heart attack, would "common decency" demand the same response?

a monster truck show is an event used for entertainment

a highway is a vital part of infrastructure


secondly,

if someone dies during an entertainment event the show ought to be stopped for the reasons already mentioned

AND there is the danger of someone else getting hurt so they should make sure everything is in order atleast

[RedlightG20]

I don't know, I'm kinda for moving on with the show. I understand those of you who think they should have stopped it, but in many cases, and especially in entertainment, you gotta keep going forward.

I think back to the WWF event back in the 90's, where Owen Hart was to use a zipline from the ceiling of the arena and sort of fly over the crowd to the ring, but there was a problem with his harness and he was dropped prematurely and died. Afterwards, the announcers told viewers what happened, but said the show must go on.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Owen Hart wasn't 6 years old. And he wasn't a non-participant in the event. Just like when an NFL player is paralyzed during a game, or a NASCAR driver is killed in an accident. That's one thing. This is different.

And beyond common decency, judging by the reaction of those in attendance I don't see how it was the right move to continue. The point of the show is to entertain and make money. When people start leaving and when people start throwing stuff at the trucks, you are doing neither.

[Bang]

Because . . . ?

Edit: If one of the customers had died of a heart attack, would "common decency" demand the same response?

Because the highway is not entertainment, and the heart attack is presumably not a direct result of the failure of the show's equipment.

Their continuing the show makes it very much easier to win a negligence suit.

~Bang

[RedlightG20]

Owen Hart wasn't 6 years old. And he wasn't a non-participant in the event. Just like when an NFL player is paralyzed during a game, or a NASCAR driver is killed in an accident. That's one thing. This is different.

And beyond common decency, judging by the reaction of those in attendance I don't see how it was the right move to continue. The point of the show is to entertain and make money. When people start leaving and when people start throwing stuff at the trucks, you are doing neither.

Okay, so how about an amusement park ride, where someone dies on a rollercoaster? Do they kick everyone out of the park? If they have, I certainly have never heard about it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing that it's wrong to stop the show when an accident like this happens. I'm just saying, that in most cases, the phrase "the show must go on" rings true in the entertainment world.

[Larry]

Their continuing the show makes it very much easier to win a negligence suit.

Their continuing the show had absolutely zero to do with the accident.

(Since the accident happened before they continued the show.)

[Bang]

Their continuing the show had absolutely zero to do with the accident.

(Since the accident happened before they continued the show.)

Maybe not, be even I, not a lawyer, could garner sympathy from a jury by saying that the show had such callous disregard for the safety of their audience that the death of a six year old child from debris flying from one of their trucks did not dissuade them at all from endangering others by continuing the show.
At the very least, to cover their own ass, they should have immediately suspended the show pending a "full investigation".

Simple as pie.

~Bang

[Larry]

OK, sorry folks. Back from feeding Mom.

During dinner, I came to the conclusion that perhaps part of my conflict on this is because I'm attempting to demand logic (and to demand that others apply logic) to an event where an emotional response is the more appropriate one.

Please consider it my mistake.

[SkinsMaster88]

Okay, so how about an amusement park ride, where someone dies on a rollercoaster? Do they kick everyone out of the park? If they have, I certainly have never heard about it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing that it's wrong to stop the show when an accident like this happens. I'm just saying, that in most cases, the phrase "the show must go on" rings true in the entertainment world.

When there's a death from a roller coaster ride, they might not close the park, but I'm pretty sure they shut down the coaster.

[Fergasun]

I read this last night and there was an interesting thread of comments from folks who were there. From what I gather I picture the "small debris" as something like a bullet or shotgun fragments that hit the poor kid in the head. Additionally, I doubt people at the show really knew that someone had been killed until after the show was done... much less any of the organizers. The EMTs and paramedics on the scene were probably focused with trying to get the victims to the hospital, rather than getting the show to stop. In fact, I think it would be better not to cause a panic which would delay getting them help.

I think that there is probably a case of negligent homicide however. As some of the comments mentioned that there was something clearly wrong with the truck before it finished its run. Another commenter who does drag racing also mentioned that there aren't any safety features on these monster trucks and no sanctioning body to regulate this. I guess some of the drag racing cars have some type of blanket that covers the engine so that no small parts can fly off when something goes wrong. Again, I imagine this is akin to someone firing a bullet into a crowd. I think there is probably a strong case for negligent homicide.

Just a really tragic occurrence...

[Koolblue13]

When I was having my Demo Derby parties at my house, if a kid died, the party wouldn't have.

[zoony]

OK, sorry folks. Back from feeding Mom.

During dinner, I came to the conclusion that perhaps part of my conflict on this is because I'm attempting to demand logic (and to demand that others apply logic) to an event where an emotional response is the more appropriate one.

Please consider it my mistake.



The only mistake you made was the comparison between an Interstate and a monster truck show.

So no, no logic to be seen here. Just over-the-top absurdity.

[Tastes Like Chicken]

Holy ****. I know that accidents can happen anywhere, but it seems like the 'safety wall' or whatever was there to protect the spectators, wasn't up to snuff. Continuing the show not only was the wrong moral thing to do, it was basically sending the message that 'there's a problem with our safety device and we know this, but **** it we'll take a looksy later, after you see enough trucks and buy your concessions.'

:doh:

I feel for that kid's family- My kids are 5 and 2, and what just happened to that kid is unimaginable, especially such a freak occurrence.

[Toe Jam]

I think this really is a moral issue. Some of you will say no, obviously, but I call BS..

If it had been your kid, or someone you loved, it would probably piss you off too.