Yorkshire Wildlife Park reopens as tiger victim's medical records face scrutiny

William Chapman was killed after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster on Saturday, October 10. An inquest later heard that he had scaled two fences at the Land of the Tigers enclosure, according to Express & Star.

The animal was a five-year-old Siberian tiger, CBS Top Stories reported. The park identified the tiger as Altai and said it would not be put down, according to CNN Brasil.

On October 12, CNN Brasil reported the park's assurance that Altai would not be euthanised. By October 13, Chapman had been identified in reporting by Sky News.

The death drew wider attention on October 13 when US President Donald Trump shared footage of the fatal attack. He accompanied it with the message, "Don't ever mess with nature!", according to Express & Star.

Trump subsequently posted an AI-generated video showing himself wrestling with a tiger, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on October 14. The outlet said Chapman's relatives had issued a statement before that post, describing the circulation of "deeply offensive media content" as a source of severe distress. His family also pleaded with people to stop sharing footage of the attack, according to CBC Top Stories.

At the inquest opening, reported on October 15, Chapman's family said he had experienced bouts of psychosis and raised concerns about his contact with mental health services before his death, according to the Guardian. Those concerns do not establish why he entered the enclosure.

On October 16, visitors returned to the park six days after the death, Express & Star reported. That day, Sky News also reported that Chapman's patient records might have been breached.

The park has reopened, and its stated position is that Altai will not be put down. The inquest has opened, with the family's concerns about Chapman's mental health care now part of the proceedings, according to the Guardian.

The medical records issue remains qualified. GB News reported that two NHS staff members had "attempted to access" Chapman's medical information, while The Independent described a possible breach. The supplied reports do not establish whether records were successfully accessed.

Reports also differ on Chapman's age. Express & Star reported that he was 24, while the Coventry Telegraph gave his age as 23 and Adnkronos reported 25.

The inquest is the next forum to watch for fuller evidence about the circumstances of Chapman's death and the concerns his family raised about mental health services. The coverage supplied does not give a date for a further hearing.

Another unresolved question is whether anyone accessed his medical records without authorisation, rather than merely attempting to do so. The October 16 reports from Sky News and GB News leave that distinction open.