Yorkshire tiger attack victim's family urge end to sharing footage

William Chapman entered a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster on Saturday, October 10, and was fatally attacked. The Guardian reported that he scaled the fence and entered the enclosure that afternoon.

South Yorkshire Police said the man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to The Independent. The tiger involved was Altai, whom the park later said was safe and well.

On October 11, the park confirmed that Altai would not be put down, NDTV reported. Its statement also expressed condolences to the victim's family and thanked people who had contacted the park with concerns about the animal, according to NDTV.

Witness accounts emerged over the following days. On October 12, The Daily Beast reported that a woman had tried to stop the man entering the enclosure. Sky News reported that he told the tiger to "stop being naughty" before the attack. Those details were reported accounts, rather than findings from the investigation.

Also on October 12, Express & Star reported that the council had launched an investigation and the park remained closed that Monday. On October 13, Sky News reported that the victim had been identified as William Chapman.

The story then widened to the circulation of footage online. On October 13, US President Donald Trump posted a clip of the fatal attack with the message "Don't ever mess with nature!", according to Express & Star.

By October 14, Trump had also shared an AI-generated video showing himself with a tiger, Forbes reported. Chapman's relatives said the publication and circulation of "deeply offensive media content" was causing them "severe distress", according to The Guardian. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that their statement preceded Trump's later post.

The family's immediate request is for people to stop sharing footage of the attack. CBC reported that relatives described its circulation as deeply offensive and painful. The coverage does not establish that their statement was written in response to Trump's AI-generated video.

The park's stated position is that Altai will not be euthanised, according to United Press International. The latest supplied reporting on the council inquiry confirms that an investigation was launched, but provides no findings.

The council investigation remains the main pending development. GB News described it as a health and safety investigation announced by the City of Doncaster Council. Its findings could establish more about the circumstances of Chapman's entry into the enclosure, but the supplied coverage gives no timetable for an outcome.