Cincinnati – Gorilla Killing At Cincinnati Zoo Sparks Probe Into Possible Criminal Charges

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    A  sign is held outside the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden during a demonstration as a zoo visitor enters the grounds via a foot bridge, Monday May 30, 2016, in Cincinnati. Animal rights activists and mourners gathered Monday for a Memorial Day vigil for the Harambe, a gorilla killed at the Cincinnati Zoo Saturday after a 4-year-old boy slipped into an exhibit and a special zoo response team concluded his life was in danger. There has been an outpouring on social media of people upset about the killing of the member of an endangered species. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)Cincinnati – Police may bring criminal charges over a Cincinnati Zoo incident in which a gorilla was killed to rescue a 4-year-old boy who had fallen into its enclosure, a prosecutor said on Tuesday.

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    The death of Harambe, a 450-pound (200-kg) gorilla, also prompted the animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation Now to file a negligence complaint on Tuesday against the zoo with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The group is seeking the maximum penalty of $10,000.

    The group said in its complaint letter that the child’s ability to get past the barrier was proof the zoo was negligent and should be fined for a “clear and fatal violation of the Animal Welfare Act.”

    Mounting outrage over Saturday’s killing of the Western lowland silverback, an endangered species, sparked criticism of both the zoo and the child’s parents. Online petitions at change.org drew more than 500,000 signatures demanding “Justice for Harambe.”

    Cleveland Police are taking a second look at possible criminal charges in the incident after initially saying no one was charged. There was no indication of whether the investigation would focus on the zoo or the child’s parents.

    “Once their investigation is concluded, they will confer with our office on possible criminal charges,” Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters said in a statement.

    Witnesses said the child had expressed a desire to get into the enclosure and climbed over a 3-foot (1-meter) barrier, falling 15 feet (4.6 m) into a moat. Zookeepers took down the 17-year-old ape after he violently dragged and tossed the child, officials said.

    The boy’s mother said on Facebook that the boy suffered a concussion and scrapes but was otherwise fine.

    Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, on Monday stood by the decision to shoot Harambe, saying he was not simply endangering the child but actually hurting him.

    Zoo officials were not immediately available for comment on either the negligence complaint or the police investigation but said on Monday the exhibit was safe and exceeded required protocols.

    The Gorilla World exhibit has been closed since the incident and will reopen on Saturday.

    Looking at the incident through Harambe’s eyes, his former caretaker, Jerry Stones, said in a CNN interview that the breach of his habitat was likely confusing.

    “Here is this animal that has this strange thing in his house,” Stones said on CNN. “He knew what adult people were but he’d never been around children. It smells similar, it looks similar but ‘What is it? Do I play with it? Am I supposed to be afraid of it? What do I do?'”

    Even Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump jumped into the fray at a news conference, saying, “The way he held that child, it was almost like a mother holding a baby … It was so beautiful to watch that powerful, almost 500-pound gorilla, the way he dealt with that little boy. But it just takes one second … one little flick of his finger.”

    In the wild, adult male silverbacks such as Harambe are leaders of groups of gorillas known as troops. They develop the silver patch on their coats as they mature.


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    17 Comments
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    mrhanono
    mrhanono
    7 years ago

    What’s wrong with the world?
    Of course we should avoid cruelty to animals but at the risk of human life? Never!
    Human life and wellbeing come first, then the animals’. That is, unless it’s animals that are making the choices.
    Come on already.
    Where are people’s values? A sense of proportion…

    Tzvi123
    Tzvi123
    7 years ago

    I didn’t read the article but they should charge the gorilla with assault and battery on that poor child.

    Logical_Abe
    Logical_Abe
    7 years ago

    The Left meshuga’im not only want to destroy Israel but are trying to destroy powerful America.

    Ellee
    Ellee
    7 years ago

    I’m making a petition to learn mishnayos leilui nishmas. What’s the fathers name?

    7 years ago

    Whoever wrote this article, evidently doesn’t know the difference between Cincinnati and Cleveland, (i.e. “the Cleveland Police Department”), even though those two cities are 250 miles apart. Another brilliant reporter, namely Juan Williams of Fox News, stated that “Jack Hanna” worked at the Cincinnati Zoo, even though Hanna was Director of the Columbus Zoo, which is over one hundred miles from Cincinnati. However, according to the eastern media, everything in Ohio is the same! It is tantamount to stating that NY and NJ are the same.

    Sholi-Katz
    Sholi-Katz
    7 years ago

    What a not-normal World! Everyday people (aka Humans), are killed and to most it is as “whats new”. Here, a gorilla is killed, maybe they should have tried a tranquilizer first, but the zookeepers had to make a quick decision – there was a life at stake.
    Is a gorilla more worth then a HUMAN life? This child now has a chance to grow up and lead a useful life. Half a million people sign a petition, we have really gone crazy,

    54321
    54321
    7 years ago

    its a sick world when a dumb monkey is more important then a human being. The Nazis also loved animals and placed them on pedestals, etc..

    a_person
    Member
    a_person
    7 years ago

    If the story would of g-d forbid gone the other way and the child was hurt or worse, and the gorilla wasn’t hurt, everyone would be shouting their outrage why they treated the gorilla like he was more important than the child…it’s a no win…

    Applestein
    Applestein
    7 years ago

    I think the Gorillas should stage a March

    7 years ago

    One thing is positive and that is to make it impossible for small children to slip between bars in zoos. But to spare the Gorilla and let the boy be injured or worse? Come now!

    adar29
    adar29
    7 years ago

    If you ask me I would have shot the gorilla in a split second but I would have taken this family to child services. Imagine this family visiting the grand canyon. Whose fault will it be when the child jumps out ought a moving car next? They neglected the child and endangers him.

    blubluh
    blubluh
    7 years ago

    I don’t think charging the zoo with criminal negligence amounts to valuing animals above people. It’s about protecting visitors as well as animals.

    Kids are probably the most frequent visitors of zoos and, being kids, are more likely to get themselves into risky situations despite parents’ best efforts, especially in large groups as in school or day-care visits.

    If zoos cannot figure out how or afford to making enclosures impenetrable to both man and beast, they shouldn’t be presenting hazardous exhibits to the public.

    anon6
    Trusted Member
    anon6
    7 years ago

    Gorillagate 2016!

    7 years ago

    The zoo should be sued by the parents for the mental trauma which they suffered, watching their child, being dragged by that 450 pound beast! If a three year old came jump over a barrier, then it was too small, and not high enough to begin with! We have seen similar scenarios, where people fall to their deaths off cruise ships, because the railings are also, too low. In addition, similar incidents have happened at professional baseball games, and other sports events. We always hear the same lame excuses, namely, that “our railings met all applicable standards, which are prevalent in our industry.” They will never admit that their railings are deficient, because of the possibility of litigation. It is only when the hoopla dies down, that the railings are raised.

    a_person
    Member
    a_person
    7 years ago

    If the story would of g-d forbid gone the other way and the child was hurt or worse, and the gorilla wasn’t hurt, everyone would be shouting their outrage why they treated the gorilla like he was more important than the child…it’s a no win…