The kid did not appear panicked ...
The critics are not very bright for several reasons.
For one, you do not just walk up to a 400 lb. gorilla and say “OK, let me have him”.
I know nothing about gorillas but I do know that almost every “A” type animal will defend his prize.
Just try taking his bone or a freshly caught rabbit from an “A” type dog.
Our dog is not a big dog at all. She is just a little larger than the large beagles, but try it with her and you will be counting your fingers to be sure you still have all of them.
Whereas that gorilla was maybe playing with the child, I would bet that he would be very difficult to deal with if one tried to take the kid away from him.
Both the kid and the rescuer would have been hurt and probably fatally.
There was a similar account some years ago of a little boy who fell into a gorilla enclosure. The little boy (blond white boy) was unconscious and it was clear that the gorilla was protecting him. I don’t recall reading that the gorilla was shot.
It would seem reasonable (to me) that a gorilla would see a small human child (of any color) as a baby gorilla, and would respond with appropriate and tender care.
I have watched that video several times and I am of the opinion that the gorilla was not going to harm that child.
Now I have seen the release where the Zoo says they could shoot it with a drug to put it out. I don’t know enough on that one. Perhaps if they had been a little more patient they could have thought of something else to get the kid away from it.
Kind of sad.