At least three people were injured Saturday night when a rodeo bull jumped over the arena fence and charged at terrified attendees before it was caught by wranglers.
The dramatic incident was caught on spectators’ cellphone videos at the 84th Sisters Rodeo in the city of Sisters, Oregon. The crowd was singing along to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” when the bull hopped the fence, prompting screams from the stands as attendees fled for their lives.
One clip shared on social media shows the bull rampaging through a concession area and into a parking lot, violently colliding with a woman along the way. The victim is brutally tossed into the air and repeatedly hit by the bull’s horns before crashing to the ground, with horrified witnesses quickly rushing to her aid.
In the arena, an announcer could be heard telling the crowd: “Get to higher ground! There’s a bull out!”
In a statement, the Sisters Rodeo Association said the announcer “immediately activated the emergency response plan” when the bull escaped. “First responders confirmed that three persons were injured as a direct result of the bull; two of whom were transported to a local hospital,” the statement read.
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Joshua Spano told KTVZ-TV that several ambulances were called to the scene and that deputies transported one patient with non-life-threatening injuries. A deputy also sustained minor injuries while responding to the incident, Lt. Jayson Janes told the station.
Sisters Rodeo said the bull was eventually “secured next to the livestock holding pens by our rodeo pickup men.”
“We wish the best to all affected,” the statement from the association read. “The safety of our fans is our highest priority and we appreciate their support.”
