Cirque du Soleil performer killed during show

Sarah "Sassoon" Guyard, a performer with Cirque du Soleil's "Ka" show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, died Saturday after slipping out of her safety wire and falling 50 feet to the ground, CNN reported Sunday.

Though the Clark County medical examiners had not determined the exact cause of death, the 31-year-old Parisian-born mother of two reportedly died at the hospital just before midnight on Saturday.

"I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family," Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté said in a statement.

We are all completely devastated with this news. Sassoon was an artist with the original cast of Ka since 2006 and has been an integral part of our Cirque du Soleil tight family. Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté said in a statement.

Audience member Dan Mosqueda, who was watching the show with his wife and son, described the incident to the Las Vegas Sun:

[She] was being hoisted up the side of the stage and then just plummeted down. Initially, a lot of people in the audience thought it was part of the choreographed fight. But you could hear screaming, then groaning, and we could hear a female artist crying from the stage.

Cirque du Soleil released an official statement saying:

The entire Cirque du Soleil family is deeply saddened by the accidental death of Sarah (Sassoon) Guyard, artist on the production 'Ka,' that happened on Saturday, June 29, in Las Vegas. The artist's immediate family has been informed of the accident. Our thoughts are with her family and the entire Cirque du Soleil family.

Mosqueda's wife, Annie, took to Twitter to describe the accident:

@Robin_Leach We were at Ka last night. Toward the end of the show, one of the performers fell. The show was stopped & cancelled. Scary.

— Annie R (@AnnieR) June 30, 2013

@Robin_Leach Wire snapped. Performer on far stage left side of stage. He/she fell fast & awkwardly at LEAST 50 feet into pit.

— Annie R (@AnnieR) June 30, 2013

@Robin_Leach Other actors were visibly upset & horrified. Crew members were calm & one by one got the other performers off stage.

— Annie R (@AnnieR) June 30, 2013