Kattie

Tiger Critically Injures Magician Roy Horn

The Associated Press
Saturday, October 4, 2003; 1:26 AM


LAS VEGAS - A tiger attacked magician Roy Horn of the duo "Siegfried & Roy" at his throat during a Friday night performance at The Mirage hotel-casino, authorities said.



Horn, who turned 59 Friday, was taken to University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition, said hospital spokeswoman Cheryl Persinger.

"All I know now is that he's still critical," she said.

Firefighters were called to the hotel-casino about 8:45 p.m. and found Horn had been "attacked at the throat" by a tiger during a performance, said Clark County Fire spokesman Bob Leinbach.

MGM Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman said Horn "sustained a serious injury to the left side of his neck." Feldman said Horn was in surgery late Friday.

Andy Cushman, a 23-year-old reporter from Haddon Township, N.J., was in the audience of the 7:30 p.m. performance.

Cushman said Horn, the dark-haired member of the duo, appeared alone on stage with a white tiger about 45 minutes into the show. Horn told the audience the tiger was 9 years old and was making his debut in the show, Cushman said.

Moments later, the tiger lunged at Horn, who tried beating the tiger off with a microphone, Cushman said.

"The tiger went for his neck, then drug him offstage," he said. "He looked like a rag doll."

A short time later, Siegfried Fisbacher appeared on stage visibly upset and said the performance was canceled, Cushman said.

The German-born pair perform eight shows a week, 44 weeks per year and have been performing in Las Vegas for more than 30 years.