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Police: Zoo survivor told of standing on railing and yelling at tiger
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | January 17, 2008 | Jaxon Van Derbeken

Posted on 01/17/2008 7:08:12 PM PST by yorkie

One of the two survivors of the San Francisco Zoo tiger attack that left a 17-year-old fatally mauled told the victim's father that the three had yelled and waved at the animal while standing atop the railing of the tiger's enclosure, police said in court documents filed Thursday.

Paul Dhaliwal, 19, denied throwing anything into the enclosure or otherwise antagonizing the animal, according to an account contained in police investigators' request for a search warrant in connection with the Christmas Day attack that killed Carlos Sousa Jr. of San Jose.

Police armed with the warrant and seeking evidence that the men had taunted the tiger searched the 2002 BMW belonging to Dhaliwal's 23-year-old brother, Kulbir, on Wednesday. They also reviewed the brothers' cell phones for any photos they might have taken before the tiger attacked.

Police said they had recovered messages and images, but apparently nothing incriminating in connection with the tiger attack. Investigators seized a small amount of marijuana as well as a partially filled bottle of Grey Goose vodka from the car, according to the inventory that police submitted from the search.

They also found a kit commonly used to defeat drug testing, which included a vial of unisex synthetic urine, police said. Paul Dhaliwal was on probation stemming from a drunken driving incident and crash that occurred before the attack.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Local News
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To: Rte66
Uh-huh - something so easily thrown out just by having the judge ask the victim’s father. Sure.

The father has an attorney, there will not be any more talking to the father by the judge are the police. And I'm sure the papers have already been file to have the whole search warrant thrown out.

101 posted on 01/17/2008 9:11:24 PM PST by org.whodat (What's the difference between a Democrat and a republican????)
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To: yorkie

Not for long. lol


102 posted on 01/17/2008 9:13:05 PM PST by TigersEye (Crusty is as Crusty does.)
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To: org.whodat

I didn’t fabricate the chain link fence. It’s there.


103 posted on 01/17/2008 9:14:16 PM PST by Rte66
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To: Mr. Brightside

“It does seem odd that people around here are so quick to believe anything bad about the victims, especially when nearly everything reported about them has been untrue.”

Maybe that’s because they have darn good reason to believe the young men were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and that the young men provoked the tiger to the extent that she was able to escape and kill or wound those who provoked her.

Was the security (the design of the pits) not safe ENOUGH?

Well, that is obvious.

In these modern times, everything has to be made idiot-proof, or you get your butt sued off so lawyers can be the KINGS of the U.S. hiding behind the curtain.

Will there be lawsuits? Settlements?

Yes, Unless tigers can kill all the lawyers first.


104 posted on 01/17/2008 9:14:53 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: org.whodat

So? That’s SOP. Question: When you write “are,” do you mean “or”?


105 posted on 01/17/2008 9:16:38 PM PST by Rte66
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To: Mr. Brightside

Mess with the bull, you get the horns.


106 posted on 01/17/2008 9:17:03 PM PST by dragnet2
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To: Mr. Brightside
...especially when nearly everything reported about them has been untrue.

(..., not cooperating with police).

Where was that refuted? Why did they have to get a warrant to look at their cell phones and why hasn't there been any mention of a statement to the police by the Dhaliwal's if it's untrue. You make a lot of stuff up.

107 posted on 01/17/2008 9:18:21 PM PST by TigersEye (Crusty is as Crusty does.)
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To: yorkie

Teenagers drinking Grey Goose? I obviously ran with the wrong crowd. Not that my crowd wasn’t quite as drunk and stupid, but we were on a much lower budget.


108 posted on 01/17/2008 9:18:30 PM PST by ReignOfError
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To: Inyo-Mono

Comparing Yellowstone park to a zoo is absurd, IMHO. When in Yellowstone, people are not protected by fenced enclosures. When in a ZOO, people are protected by fencing or other enclosures...or at least they’re supposed to be. I heard one gal on the news who commented on this situation and I agree with her. No animal should be able to escape their enclosure at a zoo regardless if someone has blood smeared on them, food, or are otherwise taunting a caged animal. If this tiger had gotten out and had mauled or killed bystanders WITHOUT any taunting, I bet you’d be changing your tune.


109 posted on 01/17/2008 9:19:03 PM PST by pay dirt
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To: Rte66
I didn’t fabricate the chain link fence. It’s there.

The chain link fence is on the other side of the road, Here, if you watch the video you will see where the body of the dead boy was laying. And you will see cops looking down in the pit over the short metal fence.

http://video.nbc11.com/player/?id=199318

110 posted on 01/17/2008 9:21:34 PM PST by org.whodat (What's the difference between a Democrat and a republican????)
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To: TigersEye

TE, maybe those moron were trying to pull the tiger’s tail? Maybe its a new game!


111 posted on 01/17/2008 9:24:09 PM PST by pandoraou812 (Don't taunt the animal's at the zoo or they may bite YOU!)
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To: pandoraou812
No, it's an old game. ;^) lol
112 posted on 01/17/2008 9:27:59 PM PST by TigersEye (Crusty is as Crusty does.)
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To: pandoraou812; TigersEye

It’s called “Tiger Bully”. The object is to see how far you can push a wild animal. It’s a very foolish game to play, as these punks found out.


113 posted on 01/17/2008 9:29:13 PM PST by yorkie
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To: Rte66

No, they’ll still get an award, just less than the dead boy’s family. There will be arguments for aggravating and mitigating factors in negotiating the amount.

It’s going to be a split between the zoo and the victims of some percentage to be determined by the jury, if it gets that far without a private settlement.


A very well reasoned prediction of what will happen.

From what I have read, the zoo management may have had suspicion that the security of the tiger pit was questionable.

There is also the point that the zoo management and owners were trying to reduce costs, and had reduced or eliminated the post-closing security staff.

I have gone over the available info so far, and IMHO, the boys are culpable due to violating the posted zoo rules.
They may also have climbed on top of the guard rail, or even closer, stood on top of the pit wall.

They say the wall is 11.5 or 12.5 feet tall.

A 300lb Siberian Tiger, standing on it’s hind legs, can probably reach 8 or 9 feet, without jumping.

Sneak up on a sleeping, or otherwise unaware house cat, and yell at it or poke it.

I have seen house cats jump three to four times their own height (when standing on hind legs).

Imagine how high a tiger that streches 7-9 feet long can jump, when it is pumped on adrenaline.


114 posted on 01/17/2008 9:32:23 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: pandoraou812

Your argument doesn’t hold. Innocent bystanders could just as easily get hurt by escaping animals. The zoo is responsible.


115 posted on 01/17/2008 9:32:29 PM PST by Post Toasties (It's not a smear if it's true.)
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To: org.whodat

I can’t play video on this puter, so can’t view it and haven’t seen it. But I’ve seen diagrams and still photos with a 6-foot chain link fence surrounding the enclosure.

I understood it to be approx. 5-6 feet between the fence and the ledge at the top of the moat wall and partially planted with flowers and shrubbery.


116 posted on 01/17/2008 9:37:41 PM PST by Rte66
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To: Post Toasties

Excuse me? I have repeatedly said that this zoo or any zoo has to protect it’s animals & it’s visitors. People have no reason to taunt animals & if they are should be tossed out of the zoo. Go check my post history. I have a very long one on on this topic. Where are you coming from? Shaking my head again & a big sigh!


117 posted on 01/17/2008 9:38:14 PM PST by pandoraou812 (Don't taunt the animal's at the zoo or they may bite YOU!)
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To: yorkie
no, it was partially empty, as they were in the process of emptying it.

If they were in the process of filling it, then it would have been partially full. :-))

118 posted on 01/17/2008 9:40:05 PM PST by going hot (Happiness is a momma deuce)
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To: yorkie
I don't think the zoo's negligence absolves the boys of responsibility for their actions regardless of what they expected from the zoo.

I also don't think the boy's stupidity absolves the zoo of its responsibilities.

Each made their own choices and the conditions created by the two (zoo and boys) came together with the nature of a tiger and a predictable outcome resulted. Neither party can claim innocence.

Causes and conditions will always play out no matter how anyone feels about it.

119 posted on 01/17/2008 9:40:31 PM PST by TigersEye (Crusty is as Crusty does.)
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To: going hot

ROTFLOL It’s all a matter of which way you’re facing isn’t it?


120 posted on 01/17/2008 9:43:38 PM PST by TigersEye (Crusty is as Crusty does.)
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