A high-flying circus trapeze artist performing without a safety net plunged to his death in a 15-metre fall, police said Tuesday, according to dpa. Roberto Valenzuela, 35, of Brownsville, Texas, was performing with Circo Hermanos Vazquez (Vazquez Brothers Circus) at the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area about 25 kilometres east of Los Angeles, when he fell head first and died at the scene, said Sergeant Jacqueline Gonzalez of the Los Angeles County Police Department. Firefighters, who were at the show to monitor one of the acts that involved fire, tried to revive Valenzuela but were unsuccessful, Gonzalez said.
