David Blaine Shoots Himself During Botched Stunt

David Blaine’s attempt at a dangerous stunt went horribly wrong. The 43-year-old illusionist accidentally shot himself in the mouth during a performance for his Beyond Magic special that aired on the U.K.’s E4 network Thursday (Jan. 5).

Blaine was performing in front of thousands at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Arena, when he tried to catch a bullet in his mouth by pulling a string connected to a .21 caliber rifle. However, the bullet shattered a metal cup and gum shield inside Blaine’s mouth, and hit him in the throat.

READ: David Blaine Grosses Out Drake, Stephen Curry & Dave Chappelle With ‘Beyond Magic’ Illusion

An earlier recording of the stunt aired on ABC last month.

“When the bullet struck my throat there was a high-pitched ringing in my ears and I felt and impact on the back of my throat,” Blaine explained on the show. “I was sure the bullet went through my head and that I was dead.

“Suddenly I became aware of the pain and it brought me back,” he continued. “At that moment I realized that the mouth guard had shattered again, and I was alive.”

Blaine suffered a lacerated throat from his latest “bullet catch” attempt, which he has tried three times since 2010.

While Blaine’s friend refuse help him pull off the potentially deadly move, he plans to do it again.

Peep the stunt below.