Man killed by rooster during cockfight

FRESNO, California -- South valley authorities have shut down a cockfighting operation that led to a bizarre human death over the weekend.

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During cockfights, two roosters fight to the death while their owners and onlookers bet on the matches. Razor-sharp blades are normally attached to the bird's feet so they can injure or kill the opponent.

Authorities say the man was trying to catch a rooster when the blade severed his leg and cut a major artery. He was then taken to Delano Regional Medical Center where he later died because of the injury.

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A California man attending a cockfight has died after being stabbed in the leg by a bird that had a knife attached to its own limb.

The Kern County coroner says 35-year-old Jose Luis Ochoa was declared dead at a hospital about two hours after he suffered the injury in neighboring Tulare County on Jan. 30.

An autopsy concluded Ochoa died of an accidental "sharp force injury" to his right calf.

Sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt says it's unclear if a delay in seeking medical attention contributed to Ochoa's death. Tulare officials are investigating, and no arrests were made at the cockfight.

Cockfighting is a sport, illegal in the United States, in which specially bred roosters are put into a ring and encouraged to fight until one is incapacitated or killed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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