A woman has described the moment she witnessed a man climb into a tiger enclosure before he was fatally mauled. Ella Ford, 24, from Moreton in Merseyside, was visiting Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster with her boyfriend when she saw William Chapman enter the tiger enclosure on Saturday afternoon (October 10).
Witness Account
Ella, who had been watching the tigers, said she had noticed Mr Chapman pacing in circles on the elevated walkway overlooking the enclosure, wearing headphones and appearing "happy".
She told the Liverpool Echo: "I only noticed him because he was pacing around. Other than that, I wouldn't have noticed anything out of the ordinary."
"I had a look around and I didn't see anyone with him. I just assumed his family were further down the bridge and he was waiting for them or something."
Moments Before the Attack
Ella said she and her boyfriend moved further along the walkway to observe another tiger before spotting Mr Chapman climbing over a wooden barrier.
She said: "He stayed for a minute or so. My first thought was that he was trying to get a closer look at the tiger. I never thought he would try and go in. I tapped my partner and was like, 'What's going on?'"
Within moments, Ella said Mr Chapman climbed into the habitat and crawled towards a tiger resting close by. She said her boyfriend watched Mr Chapman take out his phone and advance towards the animal.
Aftermath and Tributes
Ella said the incident developed quickly, with bystanders rushing to seek assistance as the tiger launched its attack. She said one man tried to scare the tiger off by striking the fence, but the creature paid no attention.
She said: "It's all a bit of a blur. I tried to look away but I couldn't. I just remember hearing people say 'Oh my God.'"
"Everyone was trying to get their kids away because they knew what was about to happen."
Ella said park employees started clearing the walkway within minutes, before the entire park was evacuated.
She added: "I just can't stop thinking about it. It's heartbreaking."
Mr Chapman, who was in his mid-20s, was pronounced dead at the scene following the attack at around 1.30pm on Saturday.
His family have since paid tribute to him, describing him as a "bright, warm and engaging young man" who had battled significant mental illness for several years.
In a statement released on Tuesday, his family revealed that William had suffered "significant mental illness" over a number of years and had been prescribed "strong medication".
The family said it would be for the coroner to establish whether his mental illness was a contributing factor in his death. The statement said: "The family are utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened," the statement read.
"The family are hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their upmost to get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did."
City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into the incident, and the park remains closed following the tragedy.
