A teenager killed by an escaped tiger spent his final moments trying to protect his friends. Carlos Sousa Jr, 17, was attacked by a Siberian tiger named Tatiana after she escaped her enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo on Christmas Day 2007.
Attack on Christmas Day
Shortly after closing time, the four-year-old big cat began mauling one of Carlos' friends, Kulbir Dhaliwal. Carlos and the friend's brother shouted and made noise to distract the 350lb beast. Tatiana then turned on Carlos.
Carlos' father, Carlos Sousa Sr, said: "He didn't run. He tried to help his friend, and it was him who ended up getting it the worst." The tiger clawed at his neck, killing him. Carlos' two friends fled to the zoo's cafe for help.
Tiger tracked victims
Tatiana followed a blood trail and attacked Kulbir, 23, and his brother Paul, 19. Police arrived to find the tiger beside one brother, who shouted "Help me! Help me!" Officers used patrol car lights to divert the tiger, then shot and killed it. The brothers were treated for severe wounds and discharged on December 29, 2007.
Carlos' body was found near the tiger grotto. He sustained blunt-force trauma, puncture wounds, fractures to his skull and spine, and a severed jugular vein, which was likely fatal.
Investigation and enclosure changes
An investigation sought to determine how the tiger escaped. Zoo director Manuel Mollinedo said: "She had to have jumped. How she was able to jump that high is amazing to me." The moat was 33 feet wide, but the enclosure wall was only 12.5 feet high, below the recommended 16 feet 4 inches. Concrete fragments in Tatiana's paws indicated she braced against the moat wall. The enclosure remained closed until early 2008, when the wall was raised to 16.4 feet, glass fencing added to 19 feet, and electrified hotwire installed.
Aftermath and legal settlements
On the first anniversary, a sculpture of Tatiana was unveiled in San Francisco. Four police officers were recognized for their courage. The Dhaliwal brothers settled a lawsuit against the zoo for $900,000 in 2009. Carlos' parents' lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount.
