Robert Montgomery Obituary, Death; – A 61-year-old man has died following a lightning strike that affected a group of individuals at an archery range in New Jersey on Wednesday night, according to police reports.
Thirteen additional individuals, among them a 7-year-old child, sustained injuries from the lightning strike at the Black Knight Bowbenders archery range located in Jackson Township. The nature of the injuries varied from “burns to vague complaints of feeling unwell,” stated Jackson Township Police Chief Matthew D. Kunz.
In a Facebook update released early Thursday, authorities confirmed the identity of the deceased as Robert Montgomery, a resident of Cinnaminson Township.
The archery event was hosted by a Cub Scout troop, which accounts for the presence of younger victims, as noted by the police.
The injured individuals were transported to both the Jersey Shore University Medical Center and CentraState Medical Center, as reported by the police department. One individual was taken to the Livingston Burn Center for treatment of “a severe burn resulting from the strike,” according to police.
At least four of the injured are children who were admitted to the hospital with burns, as stated by Jerry Mindurski, president of the archery club. Three adult instructors were also hospitalized, and Mindurski mentioned that the deceased was a member of the club. He expressed uncertainty regarding the conditions of the other victims.
First responders administered CPR to a man after police received a call around 7:13 p.m., and another individual was initially found unconscious but later regained consciousness, as reported by Kunz in a news release. It remains unclear whether the individual who received CPR was the deceased or another person.
Mindurski expressed his thoughts, stating he was “praying for the family of the man who was killed and for those who were injured.” “It all happened so suddenly,” he remarked.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has been informed about the incident, as he mentioned on X.
“Please pray for everyone affected by this tragic event,” he urged.
Thunderstorms were forecasted to occur across a significant portion of the eastern and central United States on Wednesday, including New Jersey. Jackson Township is situated approximately 30 miles east of Trenton, the state capital.
