Haunted house actor accidentally stabs boy with knife at Ohio fairgrounds

[demmiblue]

BEREA, Ohio — The blood, knives, and spooky monsters are fake at haunted houses, but the frightful fun became all too real for one Brook Park family after one of the actors got a little too into character at a haunted house in Berea, Ohio, last weekend.

Berea officers were called to the 7 Floors of Hell haunted house at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds at about 8:15 p.m. Saturday for a call of a male stabbed in the foot, the report states.

Officers spoke to staff members and learned that an 11-year-old boy with a family friend suffered a cut on his left big toe.

Witnesses told officers that one of the roaming outside actors at the haunted house was using a large bowie knife as a prop to scare people.

“I guess he got a little too close. It was a complete accident and poked the boy’s toe,” said Geffert.

Geffert said Pogozelski is a popular actor at other haunted houses in the area…and started working freelance at 7 Floors of Hell last year.

He said his actors are not allowed to touch customers and can only use the rubber props provided by the company, but Pogozelski went back to his car that night and grabbed the bowie knife that night without their knowledge.

Geffert said he would have to decide whether to keep him employed at 7 Floors of Hell.

https://www.wxyz.com/news/national/haunted-house-actor-accidentally-stabs-boy-with-knife-at-ohio-fairgrounds

[jimfields33]

1. Damn lucky it was only his toe. It will hurt a few weeks and be fine.

I will let the company decide the employment status of the other person.

[tanyev]

2. "Geffert said he would have to decide whether to keep him employed at 7 Floors of Hell."

Seriously? He went to his car and got a real knife instead of the rubber prop he was supposed to use. Decision made.

[lagomorph777]

4. There's a special place in Hell for the actor AND his employer.

There's no room for any deliberation here. The idiot has to go immediately. Although, after this, I imagine they'll all find themselves unemployed when nobody buys tickets anymore.

[Sneederbunk]

3. A real bowie knife is not a prop.

[EYESORE 9001]

5. This story was in heavy HEAVY rotation on local TV news

The outrage is understandable, but the coverage approached saturation levels.

[abqtommy]

6. People carrying bowie knives anywhere are "accidents waiting to happen".

I hope all involved will suffer the harshest legal penalties.