Wyrick crew member suffers minor injury in Strip stunt

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Monday, July 6, 2009 | 12:29 p.m.

A member of Steve Wyrick’s crew was injured during the magician's "Death Drop" stunt on Saturday, officials said today.

A spokesperson for Wyrick said one of the crew members suffered minor injuries during the stunt and immediately was treated by on-site paramedics. The crew member was not identified.

“Obviously, when you undertake a stunt of this magnitude there is a risk of someone getting injured. We took every precaution to insure the safety of Steve, Chester (Bennington, the Linkin Park frontman), the crew and audience,” Lindsey Rathjen, a spokesperson for Wyrick said.

Hundreds filled the sidewalks and streets in front of Planet Hollywood Saturday night as Wyrick was shackled and locked inside an equipment box

Plans called for the box to be hoisted into the air, supported by a few thin ropes and dangled over a bed of 500 flaming spikes 80 feet below. The ropes would then be set on fire, forcing Wyrick to make his escape before the last rope broke.

After Wyrick was locked inside, the crew members went to light the ropes, igniting a black netting that was shielding the box from view. Emergency personnel responded, acting as if Wyrick had been injured during the stunt, and the box was taken away.

A helicopter then arrived, presumably responding to Wyrick’s medical emergency. As it landed on Las Vegas Boulevard between Planet Hollywood and CityCenter, Wyrick appeared from the helicopter.