Spectator killed in hammer throw accident at Colorado high school track meet: Officials
A Colorado man was killed Sunday during a high school track meet after a hammer thrown by an athlete accidentally struck him, according to authorities.
The incident occurred on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus, where high school track and field athletes from across the state were competing.
A spokesperson for the university confirmed the death to ABC News, saying a spectator "was killed when a hammer thrown by a participant cleared certified barriers and struck him."
The Colorado Springs Fire Department pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Wade Langston, 57, was identified as the victim, according to the El Paso County Coroner's Office.
“We are heartbroken at this horrible accident and are focused on supporting all involved,” University of Colorado Colorado Springs Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement.
The hammer throw, a traditional event in track and field competitions, involves the throwing of a metal ball, which athletes hold by a grip attached by a wire.
Langston was the father of one of the participating high school athletes, and died shielding his wife and son from the hammer, according to Colorado Springs ABC affiliate KRDO.
A spokesperson for the Colorado Springs Police Department declined to comment, saying it was a "non-criminal incident."
