The man who died after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park over the weekend has been named as William Chapman, a former child actor who appeared in BBC and ITV programmes.
Chapman is understood to have climbed into the tiger enclosure at the animal park in Doncaster on Saturday, October 10. Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm when he entered the enclosure, was attacked by an Amur tiger named Altai and was declared dead at the scene.
Acting career revealed
According to the BBC and confirmed by IMDB, Chapman starred in the ITV drama May Contain Nuts alongside Shirley Henderson, known for her role as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter franchise. He also played Edward Jenner as a youngster in the BBC series True Stories.
Chapman, believed to be in his 20s, seemingly recorded the moment he got close to the creature, based on footage shared on an Instagram profile that has since been removed.
Incident details
A short clip alleged to have been taken by Chapman, reportedly posted on a now-deleted Instagram account, was filmed inside the tiger’s enclosure. The 30st Amur tiger named Altai can be seen lying on top of a wooden platform, a few metres in front of the camera. In the audio, the person filming can be heard breathing heavily as distant voices shout "Oh my God" and "seriously".
A couple who watched the incident said Chapman entered the enclosure from a walkway overlooking the animal after "pacing around" nearby and acting strangely. Others present described him as being in a "happy" mood before jumping into the enclosure.
Park response and investigation
In a statement on social media on Sunday, the wildlife park said "many, many people" had contacted them about Altai, and it confirmed he is "safe and well" and will not be euthanised. The park added that members of staff were "deeply affected" by the incident and received specialist support.
The zoo has remained closed since the incident as investigations continue, and a health and safety probe has been launched by City of Doncaster Council.
Dan Swaine, executive director of place at City of Doncaster Council, said: "As the relevant licensing authority for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, I can confirm that, in line with our statutory duties, the council has launched a health and safety investigation."
"We are also working with multiple agencies, including the police and health agencies, and are supporting the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in response to the incident," he added. "At this time, we won’t be commenting further on the individual or the investigation and we ask that the privacy of those involved is respected at this difficult time."
