Local optometrist recovering from injuries received in mock South Dakota Wild West shootout
Received in mock Wild West shootout
A Fayette County optometrist is recovering from wounds he received last week while he and his family were attending a Wild West show in South Dakota.
Dr. John Ellis of South Connellsville said Tuesday that he suffered a fractured ulna in his left arm and a minor injury to his right index finger in the incident Friday as the family watched the Dakota Wild Bunch re-enactors perform a show for tourists and others visiting Hill City蘑菇视频 Main Street.
The injuries required surgery and an overnight stay at the Rapid City Regional Hospital. Two other spectators were injured during the show.
Ellis said that the local police department is investigating the incident. However, no charges have been filed in the matter.
According to the Rapid City Journal, the re-enactors had been performing the mock shootout for several years in a?n effort to raise money for a local charity.
Ellis said that the family was finishing their dinner when performers stopped by the restaurant to encourage diners to come and join in the festivities.
鈥淚t was five minutes before the start of the show, so we thought we would stay and watch before we went back to our room,鈥� he said.
The performance, he said, had about eight actors who set the stage for the shootout with a short story. Throughout the outdoor presentation, skirmishes that included shots being fired, took place.
鈥淎t the end, they had this classic shootout between the sheriff, his deputies and the bad guys,鈥� said Ellis.
As the shootout continued, Ellis, who was standing about 40 feet from the performance, felt a sudden pain in his left forearm.
鈥淭hey were to being using blanks,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he sheriff蘑菇视频 department is still trying to figure out what when wrong.鈥�
Ellis said investigators did not find any casings at the accident scene that would indicate live rounds were used by the performers or live ammunition in the guns being used during the show.
His wife, Candy, and their two daughters, ages 11 and 12, were standing nearby and immediately reacted when they saw him falter.
鈥淪arah had been standing in front of me just a few minutes before,鈥� said John Ellis. 鈥淭hank goodness she had moved away.鈥�
His first reaction was to grab his arm where the wound had immediately begun to bleed.
At that time he noticed several fingers on his right hand, too, were in odd positions.
John Ellis said he later remembered that he was standing with his arms crossed in front of him which allowed for the two separate wounds.
鈥淐andy helped me over to the sidewalk to sit down and put her belt around the upper part of my arm, while another woman came over and held my arm, too, so the blood wouldn鈥檛 continue to flow,鈥� he said.
The second shooting victim that was standing behind him was also being attended to by onlookers as they awaited the arrival of medical personnel. A third victim was additionally treated for a bullet wound.
The bullet shattered the ulna bone near his elbow and injured the index finger on his right hand as it traveled through his arm.
鈥淎lthough early, the surgeon doesn鈥檛 think there will be any permanent damage,鈥� he said, adding that a portion of his arm is in a cast.
The family has decided to resume their vacation, although somewhat limited because of the injury.
鈥淲e have gone different places and if I don鈥檛 feel up to it, I stay in the car and the girls go and do some sightseeing,鈥� said John Ellis.
The South Dakota vacation was prompted by the couple蘑菇视频 daughters after learning their parents had spent some time in the region before moving to Connellsville.
After obtaining his doctorate degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, the two lived in the area while he did a three-month internship at the Rosebud Indian Reservation Hospital.
鈥淲hile we were here with another couple from school, we traveled extensively and saw this whole area,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he girls heard so much about that time, they wanted to come out and we wanted to show them this part of the country.
鈥淵esterday, we visited the hospital and the house where we stayed and we鈥檝e gone to Mount Rushmore and the Badlands.鈥�
It is one vacation the family soon won鈥檛 forget, said John Ellis.
鈥淚 think we鈥檒l be talking about this one for a few years to come,鈥� he said.
He does anticipate it will be a few weeks until he will return to his practice because of his limited mobility and the need for further medical care.
The incident, too, has sparked numerous telephone calls and text messages from family and friends at home.
鈥淚鈥檓 often kidded about not using my cellphone,鈥� said John Ellis. 鈥淚 think I鈥檝e used it more this week than in the three years I鈥檝e had it.鈥�
As to the investigation, he said that it is likely he will continue a long distance relationship with investigators after the family returns home later this week.
鈥淭hey know our timetable and we鈥檒l continue to work with them by telephone after we are home,鈥� he said.