Authorities have identified the 17-year-old boy killed by lightning on Humphreys Peak near Flagstaff. Wade Young, of Tempe, was hiking with friends Wednesday when a monsoon hit.
State police used a helicopter to recover Young’s body near the summit. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said his two friends, ages 17 and 18, were hurt, but were able to walk when emergency responders eventually reached them.
Continuous lighting strikes on the San Francisco Peaks delayed rescuers. A meteorologist with the National Weather Service said there were more than 100 strikes on the ground within a one-hour period around the time Young was killed.
Humphreys Peak is known for volatile weather. It’s Arizona’s highest point, at more than 12,600 feet above sea level.
