Pa. circus elephant’s killing of handler before show ruled an accident; show continues

Pa. circus elephant’s killing of man ‘accident’

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A coroner says a circus elephant that kicked a handler and killed him before a performance in northeastern Pennsylvania did so accidentally.

Luzerne County coroner John Corcoran says 48-year-old Andrew Anderton died from multiple traumatic injuries after he was kicked Friday afternoon at the Irem (EYE’-rem) Shrine Circus in Wilkes-Barre (WILKS’-behr-ee).

Corcoran says it happened after a disturbance, which is under investigation by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Police had said initial reports indicated the African elephant had been shocked by an electrical wire.

The elephant didn’t participate in Friday night’s performance, which went on after a moment of silence for the handler.

Circus spokesman John Richards says he knows of no other problems with the elephant, named Dumbo.