January 27 (UPI)— Wade Langston, 57, was on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus on Sunday for the state track meet as the father of one of the competing athletes when the incident happened. He was declared dead at the scene after a hammer thrown by an athlete unintentionally flew into the crowd and struck the man.
The hammer throw is a traditional track and field event that can weigh up to 25 pounds for boys and be thrown between 55 and 67 miles per hour. According to a university spokesperson, the hammer “thrown by a participant cleared certified barriers and struck him” during the event at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Mountain Lion Fieldhouse. The Colorado Springs Police Department described the death as a “non-criminal incident.” Langston’s family described him as a “devoted husband, loving father, and cherished brother.”
“There are no words to express the depth of our sorrow, but we are clinging tightly to the memories, laughter, and love that we shared with Wade,” Langston’s family wrote in an email to CPR News.
“We appreciate the outpouring of love and support but ask for privacy as we process this profound grief.”
