An inquest into the death of 23-year-old William Chapman is due to open today at Doncaster Coroner's Court. Mr Chapman, a former child actor, died on Saturday after entering the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, where he was attacked by an Amur tiger named Altai. Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The hearing, scheduled for 10am, is listed for William Harry Bruce Chapman. In a statement released on Tuesday evening, his family said: "It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death. We would ask everybody to respect that process."
Family tribute and mental illness
In their statement, the family described William as "a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved - and William loved them back." They added: "Sadly, William suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication."
The family also criticised the circulation of "deeply offensive media content," saying it is causing them "severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time." They asked people to stop sharing such material and to respect their privacy.
Witness accounts and keeper's view
Witness Ella Ford, 24, described how members of the public tried to get help as the tiger attacked. One man banged on the fence to scare the animal, but it "took no notice." Keepers eventually frightened Altai away by firing gas-powered acoustic guns into the air.
Animal keeper Reece Oliver told Sky News the 30-stone (200kg) tiger was probably "just playing" when it began pawing Mr Chapman. "If it really wanted to kill him, it would have probably killed him within 10 seconds," he said. Reports also suggest Mr Chapman's final words to the tiger were "stop being naughty" after being urged to "play dead."
Political reaction and park closure
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard condemned US President Donald Trump for posting AI-generated videos mocking the incident, saying it "should be greeted with the contempt it deserves." Downing Street said people should respect the family's position but would not comment directly on the president's posts.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed for a fifth day, with no confirmed reopening date. City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation, and South Yorkshire Police are preparing a file for the coroner.
