Bull Leaps Over Barrier into Spectator Area in Spanish Arena
A half-tonne bull jumped over a safety barrier and into the crowd at a bullfight in Murcia, Spain, narrowly missing spectators.
Spectators screamed as an enraged half-tonne bull leaped over a safety barrier and into the crowd at the Plaza de Toros de Murcia in Murcia, Spain, on September 20. The six-year-old bull, named Malacara, had been goaded by matadors when it charged at one of the performers. As the matador moved towards the wooden fence, the bull veered sharply left and cleared the barrier.
Footage captured the 508kg animal flying towards spectators in the front row, including one individual who was filming the event. The onlookers were protected from direct contact by a concrete wall in front of their seats.
Juan Perez, a visitor seated several rows back, described the incident: "I saw it with my own eyes, the bull jumping over the fence into the crowd. The animal was out-of-control. It was extremely lucky that nobody was injured. There were women in those seats and they were close to being gored by the bull's horns."
The bull was seen scampering along the ringside before being ushered back into the arena to continue the bout. It was later killed, a common practice in Spanish bullfighting traditions. An official stated that the bullfighter, Duarte Fernandes, used a killing lance before a short sword was used for the final blow.
The official report from the plaza indicated that Malacara was the final bull of the afternoon's mounted bullfight, which concluded the Murcia Bullfighting Fair. The report also noted that Malacara had jumped into the exit alley twice during the same event. The bull originated from the Los Espartales ranch and was assigned to Portuguese mounted bullfighter Duarte Fernandes.
This incident follows a similar event in July where a bull injured four spectators after leaping into a crowd during a festival in Colombia. In that instance, the animal was released into the ring at a 'Corraleja' event, a traditional festival where the public can interact with the bull. Video from that event showed the bull chasing people before jumping over a fence into a larger crowd, causing panic.