A young American woman had part of her face torn away by a charging bull after she daringly waved a shirt at the beast during Mexico's chaotic Huamantlada festival.
Shocking footage circulating online captures the terrifying moment the 24-year-old, who lives in Puebla, is lifted into the air and slammed to the ground as the powerful animal gored her directly in the face.
Crowds can be heard screaming in panic, with one woman frantically yelling "her face, her face!" as blood poured from the horrific wound. The victim, identified in reports as a US national, managed to scramble to the barriers before being rushed away for treatment.
The incident unfolded during the 72nd edition of the traditional bull-running event in Huamantla, Tlaxcala, often billed as one of the world's largest street capeas. Twenty-one fighting bulls weighing more than 450kg each were released into the packed streets lined with red barriers as thousands of spectators watched.
In the viral clip, the young woman is seen challenging the bull by shaking a garment, earning cheers of "torera, torera" from some onlookers before the animal turned on her with devastating force. Men rushed in to distract the bull and pull her to safety as she stumbled away, bloodied and disoriented.
The tragedy came amid one of the bloodiest Huamantladas in recent years. Authorities confirmed at least two men died from their injuries: 29-year-old local Juan Manuel Filomeno Herrera, who suffered catastrophic head and chest trauma after being tossed by a bull, and 57-year-old Luis Xolocotzi Ramírez, who later succumbed to severe skull fractures.
Around a dozen others were hospitalised with goring wounds, making the 2026 festival the most accident-hit in at least five years and the first to claim lives in eight years.
Mexican health officials said the American woman remained stable in hospital after suffering a bull-horn injury, though the graphic videos have sparked widespread claims of permanent facial disfigurement that will change her appearance forever.
The Huamantlada, inspired by Spain's famous Pamplona running of the bulls and held as part of celebrations for the Virgin of Charity, draws massive crowds each August. Participants routinely risk their lives by running, waving capes and taunting the animals in the narrow streets of the "Pueblo Mágico."
Critics have long condemned the event as a dangerous tradition that prioritises thrills over safety, and this year's red toll has reignited debates over whether such festivals should continue in their current form.
The young woman's life has been altered in an instant by a split-second decision to take on one of the festival's powerful bulls — a stark reminder of the fine line between spectacle and tragedy on Mexico's blood-soaked streets.
A note on comments: Our advertisers enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy on racism, hate speech, and threats of violence. Any comment that crosses that line will be removed and the account permanently banned — no warnings. Debate hard, but keep it civil.
A note on comments: Our advertisers enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy on racism, hate speech, and threats of violence. Any comment that crosses that line will be removed and the account permanently banned — no warnings. Debate hard, but keep it civil.