A woman has described the frantic moments before a tiger fatally mauled a man at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, saying a bystander tried to scare the animal away but it “took no notice”.
Ella Ford, 24, was visiting the park with her boyfriend when she saw William Chapman enter the tiger enclosure on Saturday afternoon. She said Mr Chapman had been pacing around the enclosure before going in, and that the events leading up to the 23-year-old’s death unfolded rapidly.
Witness describes desperate attempts to help
Ella said members of the public desperately scrambled to get help as the tiger launched its attack. One man tried to frighten the animal by banging on the fence, but the tiger appeared unfazed.
Keepers managed to frighten away the tiger, named Altai, by firing gas-powered acoustic guns into the air, causing it to retreat to a nearby shelter. The big cat was quickly secured, but Mr Chapman was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Ella recalls the horrific incident
Ella told the Echo: “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.”
She said Mr Chapman climbed into the habitat and crawled towards a tiger resting nearby, and that her boyfriend saw him take out his phone and move towards the animal.
Family statement and inquest
Emergency services rushed to the park shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday, October 10, but Mr Chapman was pronounced dead at the scene. The park remains closed and a reopening date has yet to be confirmed.
In a statement, his family said he had suffered from “significant mental illness” over a number of years and had been prescribed “strong medication”. The statement added: “It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death. We would ask everybody to respect that process.”
The family also asked for privacy, saying “the publication and circulation of deeply offensive media content is causing them severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time”. The statement added: “William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved - and William loved them back”.
An inquest is scheduled to open into Mr Chapman’s death tomorrow at Doncaster Coroner’s Court, Civic Office, Waterdale.
