Jhon Mario Puello Caballero was killed during a traditional bull event in Colombia. He attempted to somersault over the fierce animal, but sadly missed and was struck instead
A man nicknamed “The Shadow” died after he attempted to jump over a furious bull in front of shocked spectators at a festival.
Jhon Mario Puello Caballero tried to somersault over the animal during the traditional event in Bolivar, Colombia on November 12. Attendees initially cheered as they waved yellow and red flags into the air.
But their excitement was soon crushed when the man made impact with the bull’s head as it attempted to throw him off. Brave witnesses raced over to the man and pulled his body away from the field. However, they quickly dropped him to the ground as they had to run for their lives away from the bull.
The victim was eventually picked up as soon as people were able to get to him safely. Other witnesses attempted to fight the animal following the attack. According to local media, Me Caballero often performed as a flag bearer. He sadly died upon impact.
This summer, a man was killed during a bull-riding event in the province of Guadalajara in Castille-La Mancha, Spain, on September 7. The town’s mayor, José Luis González Lamola, paid tribute to the unnamed victim when he addressed the tragedy.
He said at the time: “We deeply regret the unfortunate accident that occurred during the bullfighting festivities during the patron saint festivities. As a sign of mourning we have decided to lower the flags that fly outside municipal buildings to half-mast, to hang a black crepe on the flags located inside municipal buildings and to suspend all official public events organised by the El Casar council for the duration of the official mourning.”
Sadly, there has been multiple deaths that have been linked to bull-riding in the past year, reports Sur in English. The animal defence association of El Casar earlier said: “Beyond the legal issues, these incidents generate costs and consequences that affect all members of the public, including those who oppose these events. The pain for this new victim is profound and part of our struggle is to prevent tragedies like this from happening.
“Is this the best way to invest our resources and enjoy our leisure time? These kinds of events not only put people and animals at risk, but also expose children to traumatic situations that can mark their perception of the world. The welfare of people and respect for animals must be priorities in modern society and it is our responsibility to rethink whether these events reflect the values we want to promote.”
