Wade Langston, a 57-year-old spectator, was killed by an errant hammer — a ball on a chain which athletes throw after spinning in a circle to gain momentum — thrown at a youth track and field meet in Colorado.
The hammer cleared the barrier and struck him while he was watching the high school competition on Sunday morning, the El Paso County coroner’s office said, adding he died at the scene.
He was the father of an athlete at the Colorado United Track Club that hosted the event.
“We are heartbroken at this horrible accident and are focused on supporting all involved,” campus chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement.
Fellow spectators said that he died while trying to shield his wife and son from the incoming weight.
Authorities did not identify the athlete who threw the hammer.
As per the World Athletics, the hammer weighs 7kg for men and and 4kg for women in adult competitions.