> Rattlesnake bites are rarely fatal if the bitten person gets medical attention. Nasty, but rarely fatal.
Heart attacks and panicked tramplings, on the other hand...
Well, yes. This was a really stupid stunt, and the person(s) who did it should be punished severely.
Even if the snakes had been non-poisonous, the panic could have injured people.
I suppose it was bound to happen.