SeanAshi
03-19-2004, 12:16 AM
Thursday, March 18, 2004
DALLAS — Police shot and killed a gorilla (search) that escaped from its enclosure at the Dallas Zoo (search) 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 animal escaped about 5 p.m., the zoo was evacuated and police were notified. When the animal charged two of the department's tactical officers, getting within 15 feet of them, the officers 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.
"I'm sure that there's a lot of people out here that were very shook up by the fact that you had a huge gorilla running through the premises like that," Garcia said.
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 (search). 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.
The zoo issued a news release late Thursday announcing that the Wilds of Africa section of the zoo and the Monorail Safari will be closed Friday, but will reopen Saturday.
DALLAS — Police shot and killed a gorilla (search) that escaped from its enclosure at the Dallas Zoo (search) 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 animal escaped about 5 p.m., the zoo was evacuated and police were notified. When the animal charged two of the department's tactical officers, getting within 15 feet of them, the officers 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.
"I'm sure that there's a lot of people out here that were very shook up by the fact that you had a huge gorilla running through the premises like that," Garcia said.
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 (search). 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.
The zoo issued a news release late Thursday announcing that the Wilds of Africa section of the zoo and the Monorail Safari will be closed Friday, but will reopen Saturday.