Trainer Killed by Elephant
By: Nate Potter
Updated: May 7, 2010
WILKES-BARRE - Details are emerging as authorities continue to investigate the death of a circus elephant handler in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Andrew Anderton was killed Friday by Dumbo the elephant while the two were alone in the rear of the Pennsylvania National Guard's 109th Field Artillery Armory.
The pair had been performing all week in the Irem Shrine Circus.
A circus official told the "Wilkes-Barre Times Leader" he thinks Anderton was trying to repair some electrical wires in Dumbo's area when sparks spooked the animal.
Anderton died of multiple traumatic injuries.
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration is looking into the accident.
(Copyright 2010 by VERTEXNews/Newsroom Solutions)
Comments
Doesn't anybody remember Tyke? The 20 year old female elephant that broke loose in altoona in april of '93 then again in north Dakota in july then killed its trainer and rampaged down town honolulu before being shot 87 times and dieing a slow painfull agonising death. The circus new this animal was not obeying comands but did nothing except send it off to the next town and next circus. Its not the animals fault its our fault. When will we wake up and stop traveling animal shows once and for all. Canada and a dozen other countries have done so. When will the american people paying for there children to ride the backs of these animals put a stop to it. When will the government finally grow a pair and stop these travesties against humanity.
Bob B.
April 13, 2010 at 3:44 am
