Tiger escapes cage in San Francisco Zoo, kills one

AP ^ | December 25, 2007

[Shermy]

SAN FRANCISCO - A tiger escaped its cage at the San Francisco Zoo on Tuesday, killing one person and injuring two others, a newspaper reported.

The tiger was shot, San Francisco Fire Department spokesman Lt. Ken Smith told the San Francisco Chronicle. It was not immediately clear how the tiger escaped.

The zoo, which had been scheduled to close at 5 p.m. PST, was evacuated.

It was unclear whether the victim was a visitor or a zoo worker.

Police officers and firefighters are investigating.

Officials at first worried that four tigers had escaped, but only one escaped its pen, Smith said.

Last December, one of the zoo's tigers mauled a zookeeper during a regular public feeding. The 350-pound animal reached through the cage's iron bars and badly lacerated her arm. The zoo's Lion House was temporarily closed during an investigation.

[Revolting cat!]

Poor Tigger baby!

[Shermy]

Ping.

[Shermy]

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ― The San Francisco Police Department confirmed that a tiger escaped its confinement at the San Francisco Zoo, then attacked and killed a visitor. Two others were injured by the tiger that entered the Terrace Cafe inside the zoo at 5:15 p.m. The injured were taken to SF General Hospital. The escaped tiger was shot and killed. The zoo has been evacuated. It was open in spite of the holiday, and scheduled to close at 5:00 pm. It's unclear whether the victim was a visitor or a zoo worker. http://cbs5.com/local/zoo.sf.tiger.2.617765.html

[RichInOC]

No! Bad kitty!

[Revolting cat!]

Should of let him run into the Castro district!

[sionnsar]

The tiger was shot

Where did they find a gun? Did they bring in the former mayor Dianne?

[eyedigress]

How the heck does a Tiger get loose? That would be damn scary.

[VastRWCon]

Ban all tigers now!

[Onelifetogive]

The San Francisco Police Department confirmed...attacked and killed a visitor....It's unclear whether the victim was a visitor or a zoo worker.???

[Shermy]

From December 22, 2006

Tiger Mauls Trainer In Front Of Crowd At S.F. Zoo

[BGHater]

Heard on the Radio that the Tiger went into a Cafeteria and killed someone there and proceeded to continue doing what tigers do.

[rawhide]

I caught that too! Strange reporting.

[eyedigress]

Is that the same Tiger?

Getting killed by a tiger at a restaurant is low on my "watch out for" list. Unreal

[Revolting cat!]

THIS JUST IN:

[SoCalPol]

I know that Frisco is a small town but you would think they would get with the program and have modern enclosues
for the big cats not behind bars.

They might want to check out how the San Diego Zoo have the Tigers, lions, etc. on display

[Clay Moore]

[Riverman94610]

Calling Mr. Edwards.Mr John Edwards.
Seriously,expect MAJOR lawsuits from this tragic fiasco.

[RDTF]

CNN: An escaped tiger kills a zoo patron in a cafe at the San Francisco Zoo, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Fire Department tells CNN.

[G8 Diplomat]

I was at the Columbus Zoo awhile ago. They have a Siberian tiger there and he’s huge! He liked to rub up against the glass for people watching like he wanted to be petted. When he saw my dad, he immediately put his ears back and stared at him, then lunged up against the front of the glass swatting his paw. I think he liked the bright blue hat my dad was wearing because after we left the exhibit and went around back, the tiger was still following us and looking up at my dad.

Also the tiger crouched in the corner of his exhibit, and when my sister tapped the glass he pounced at her hand. He’s the only one in there and I think he gets bored. House cats...super sized.