Two people have died and 11 others were injured during the Huamantla Festival, a bull-running event held in Tlaxcala, Mexico. The incident occurred when 21 fighting bulls were released into the streets as part of the annual festival, which is considered one of the largest of its kind globally. This marks the first fatalities at the festival in eight years. The event has been taking place in Huamantla for 72 years.
Among the injured was a woman who was tossed into the air by a bull before being gored in the face. She managed to escape but was seen with blood pouring down her face. Another injured individual, identified as 55-year-old José Andrés Hernández, was gored in the rear after reportedly climbing over a fence. He was knocked down and attacked again by the bull, suffering a head injury and a leg wound, and was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
One of the deceased has been identified as Juan Manuel Filomeno Herrera, a 29-year-old resident of Huamantla. The second fatality was confirmed to be Luis Xolocotzi Ramirez, 57, who sustained a skull fracture and a chest injury during the event. Ramirez was transported by air ambulance to a specialist hospital in the State of Mexico, where he later died.
This event draws parallels to the famous Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, though it is a Mexican adaptation. Even experienced bullfighters can suffer severe injuries, as evidenced by a recent incident in Spain where a matador was gored in the groin during a fight.