South Dakota Wild West-style shootout leaves three hurt

A Wild West show in South Dakota became a little too realistic when three tourists were injured in a mock shootout. Lt Marty Graves, of Pennington County Sheriff's Office, said it did not appear that the shootings on Friday evening in Hill City were intentional.

He said they had confiscated weapons involved and were talking to witnesses. Those injured were taken to hospital and one has since been released. The other two are in a "fair" condition. The shootout staged by volunteer cowboys is a regular attraction and raises funds for a children's charity.

Lt Graves said it was too early to say for certain what happened. The guns are supposed to be filled with blanks, and those playing the parts of cowboys say they load their owns guns and watch each other do it.

"This is a horrible thing," Brenda Nolting, president of the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce, said. "We're sick about it. I'm sick for the families. This is just a shock for everybody who is here." The sheriff's office named the victims as Jose Pruneda of Alliance, Nebraska; Carrol Knutson of Birchwood, Minnesota; and John Ellis of South Connellsville, Pennsylvania.