A Michigan man was killed at a baby shower when a cannon used for a gender-reveal exploded.
According to police, a "small cannon device" exploded, spraying metal shrapnel that hit the 26-year-old victim, Evan Thomas Silva, as well as several nearby vehicles. "The homeowner had purchased the cannon at an auction prior to the event and had fired the cannon several times prior. The cannon is designed to create a big flash, a loud noise and create smoke," Michigan state police said in a statement.
The victim was standing 10 to 15 feet away from the explosion, the police said. "The cannon did not contain any projectiles, but it is suspected that the gun powder loaded into the device caused the cannon to fracture." The victim was sent to Hurley Medical Center where he later died. It is not known how Silva is related to the couple who held the shower.
This is not the first time a gender-reveal stunt has gone wrong. An Iowa woman was killed by an explosion in 2019, while another party last September sparked a wildfire that burned thousands of acres in Southern California.
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