Lightning kills one, injures 13 at New Jersey archery range
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A 61-year-old man died from his injuries after being struck by lightning, said Jackson Township police chief Matthew Kunz.
PHOTO: PIXABAY
Alexandra E. Petri,Hannah Ziegler, Livia Albeck-Ripka
One person was killed and 13 others were injured after being struck by lightning at an outdoor archery range in southern New Jersey on the evening of July 16, police said.
A 61-year-old man died from his injuries, said Mr Matthew Kunz, the police chief in Jackson Township, New Jersey, inland from the Jersey Shore, in a statement. The victims’ ages ranged from seven to 61.
The 13 people had injuries ranging from burns to non-specific complaints of not feeling well, police said, adding that the injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. The victims were taken to area hospitals.
Jackson police were notified just before 7.15pm (7.15am Singapore time) that multiple people had been struck by lightning at the Black Knight Bowbenders archery range in Jackson Township, and that CPR was being performed on one person, Mr Kunz said.
The strike happened as the area was under a thunderstorm warning.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a post on social media platform X that he had been briefed on the lightning strike, calling it “tragic”.
When police arrived, several people were receiving treatment, and one person had lost consciousness but then regained it, Mr Kunz said.
Mr Gene Grodzki, a member of the archery club where the strike happened, said emergency workers used a defibrillator on two members of the club.
About 20 people connected to Jackson Scouts Troop 204, a Boy Scouts of America-affiliated group, were on a practice range at the archery facility when lightning struck, Mr Grodzki said. The children all seemed to be okay, he added, but they were transported in ambulances “just in case”.
The Black Knight Bowbenders archery club has a 20ha outdoor range with 56 shooting lanes, according to its website.
The practice range has 10 targets and allows archers to shoot from 59.4m away. The club participates in field archery, indoor and outdoor target archery, 3D shooting and bow hunting, and frequently trains new archers, its website said.
The property abuts the Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park.
Over the last decade, lightning has killed an average of about 20 people a year across the country and injured many more, according to the National Weather Service.
The most common time for lightning strikes is between June and August. At least 11 people have been killed by lightning in 2025 in the US, according to the weather service and National Lightning Safety Council.
On July 14, a 28-year-old man died a week after being struck by lightning while playing golf in Hamburg, New Jersey, according to ABC News. In June, a man was struck and killed by lightning while on his honeymoon in Florida.
Only about 10 per cent of lightning strikes are fatal, according to the weather service. Many people lose consciousness when struck. Other injuries can include tingling and numbness, cardiac arrest and lasting brain damage. NYTIMES
