A day of fun and adventure at a New Jersey archery range turned deadly when lightning struck, killing one and injuring 13 others.
The strike happened as the area was under a thunderstorm warning.
“A 61-year-old male did succumb to his injuries,” Matthew Kunz, police chief for Jackson Township, said in a statement. The victims range in age from seven to 61, according to Kunz.
Just after 7 p.m., first responders received a call about a lightning strike at The Black Knight Bowbenders Archery Club, according to Kunz.
Police reports indicate that half of the people injured at the archery club in Jackson Township were juveniles participating as part of a local scouting group from the area.
The 13 injured suffered from burns to “non-specific complaints of not feeling well,” said Kunz. They were all transported to local hospitals.
One member of the archery club, Gene Grodzki, performed CPR on the victim, but was unsuccessful.
The most common time for lightning strikes is between June and August. At least 11 people have been killed by lightning in 2025 in the US, according to the weather service and National Lightning Safety Council.
