Gorilla Shot After Escaping at Dallas Zoo, Where It Bit, Scratched Three People

AP ^ | 3-18-04

[Indy Pendance]

DALLAS (AP) - Police shot and killed a gorilla that escaped from its enclosure at the Dallas Zoo on Thursday and injured three people.

One adult and two children, ages 10 and 2, suffered minor injuries from the gorilla and were taken to area hospitals, Deputy Police Chief Daniel Garcia said. He said the three were bitten and scratched.

The zoo was evacuated after the animal escaped and police were notified. When the gorilla charged two officers, getting within 15 feet of them, they opened fire, Garcia said.

"We were forced to put this animal down," he said.

Garcia said police officers' objective was protecting citizens until authorities could figure out what to do with the gorilla.

Diana Gonzalez, a zoo patron, said she saw the animal banging on the door of its enclosure, and then it broke. The gorilla then scampered out of the gorilla pit.

Dallas zoo director Rich Buickerood said the primate was an inquisitive 13-year-old Western Lowland gorilla. He said the animal was likely "extremely excited and extremely fearful while it was out."

He said zoo officials are trying to figure out how the escape happened.

Last year, a 300-pound gorilla escaped twice in two months from Boston's Franklin Park Zoo.

In the second escape, he strolled around the zoo and the surrounding streets for about two hours and attacked a 2-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman. Both suffered minor injuries. The animal was sedated with tranquilizer darts.

The zoo reopened its gorilla exhibit last month without the escapee, named Little Joe, who now spends his time in a holding area away from the public.

[Spruce]

Tread lightly when you call people liars, friend.

[Tymesup]

There was a thread recently with a moose in a lake people were swimming in. If I remember correctly, the authorities shot it because they didn't want it to drown.

[blackbart.223]

"There was a thread recently with a moose in a lake people were swimming in. If I remember correctly, the authorities shot it because they didn't want it to drown."

That makes perfect sense to me.

I hope they didn't waste the meat.

[Americanchild]

This was after hours when most keepers had gone home. There was only one vet available with the tranquilizers--but we still don't know why he was taking his own sweet time getting to the scene. ( Hell--the vet hospital was just across the access road!)The officers were threatened by the gorilla because they surrounded it. ( And because the macho Dallas cops were itching to shoot it from the moment they arrived)

This was very poorly handled IMO

[lowbridge]

I'm sorry. :-) What I meant to say was he's sorely mistaken. His taste buds died out years ago.

[oolatec]

:( :( :( :( :(

[Americanchild]

This is a code red (i.e. dangerous animal) and the cops are always called. Their purpose is to shoot the animal IF it escapes the zoo grounds. The zoo has it's own trained weapons team, as well as vet staff with tranquilizers. However, since this occurred late after most keepers had gone home, staff was pretty thin. The one vet still there has some explaining to do for not showing up with the darts. The head curator has some explaining to do for failing to make critical decisions.

This animal among others has lived in this exhibit for nearly twenty years with no escapes. It is still unclear how he got out. ( teens were teasing him just prior to the incident)The zoo was evacuated immediately, but several people, including the injured were forced to take refuge in animal barns near the escape area. BTW the above story is incorrect; it was 2 adults and one child injured. The little boy is critical.

[TheDon]

LOL! Forgot that one!

[ambrose]

Totally agree. Cops only know two ways to deal with these situations... run and hide (Columbine), or come in guns blazing and shoot anything that moves dead.

The zoo keepers should have had a tranquilizer gun on hand.

[ambrose]

( teens were teasing him just prior to the incident

where did you hear that?

[Jeff Gordon]

Another needless police shooting. They should have taken him down, handcuffed him, arrested him and read him his rights.

[MeekOneGOP]

A man told his friend that he had an 800 pound gorilla for a pet and that he kept it in his home.

His friend exclaimed: In your HOUSE ? Where does an 800 pound gorilla sleep ?

The man replies: Anywhere he wants to.

[Americanchild]

I work there. People are always teasing them, throwing rocks and things. Jabari learned quite early to throw them right back. I guess he had had enough of it.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Gorilla, you're a desperado.

[LibKill]

Reminds me of a visit to a California zoo. They had an orangutan, male, about 350lbs. The creature had no neck, just muscles.

He looked me in the eye and I just knew that he resented being locked up and if he ever got out he was going to make some humans pay for it.

[eddie willers]

Good Song!

---

Gorilla, You're a Desperado
written by Warren Zevon

Big gorilla at the L.A. Zoo
Snatched the glasses right off my face
Took the keys to my BMW
Left me here to take his place

I wish the ape a lot of success
I'm sorry my apartment's a mess
Most of all I'm sorry if I made you blue
I'm betting the gorilla will, too

They say Jesus will find you wherever you go
But when He'll come looking for you, they don't know
In the mean time, keep your profile low
Gorilla, you're a desperado

He built a house on an acre of land
He called it Villa Gorilla
Now I hear he's getting divorced
Laying low at L'Ermitage, of course

Then the ape grew very depressed
Went through Transactional Analysis
He plays racquetball and runs in the rain
Still he's shackled to a platinum chain

Big gorilla at the L.A. Zoo
Snatched the glasses right off my face
Took the keys to my BMW
Left me here to take his place

[halran]

I haven't seen the PETA response yet, but I am sure it's coming.

[Indy Pendance]

"He looked me in the eye and I just knew that he resented being locked up and if he ever got out he was going to make some humans pay for it."

I've seen that look too, kind of eerie.

[Xenalyte]

[Our man in washington]

Rest in peace, Mr. Zevon. Thanks for the great music.