Tragic Incident: Former Child Actor William Chapman Killed by Tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

A man who was killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in England has been identified as William Chapman, a former child actor.

On Saturday afternoon, Chapman entered an enclosure and walked up to Altai, a 420-pound rare Siberian tiger, who mauled him to death. Moments before the attack, Chapman filmed himself inside the enclosure and posted the short video to his social media. Witnesses described Chapman as appearing very happy but detached from reality as the tiger began showing aggression.

Before the incident, zoo-goers recalled seeing Chapman dancing happily and even asking a stranger to take a photo of him with Altai in the background, repeatedly saying, “One more, one more, one more!” In the footage, Chapman was heard saying, “Thank you, lady,” to the woman who snapped his pictures. Del Taylor, the woman who took the photos, told investigators, “He was so happy.”

As the tiger attacked, Chapman reportedly ordered it to “stop being naughty.” Park workers fired two warning shots with a shotgun to scare Altai away, but Chapman was pronounced dead at the scene. Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed that Altai was “safe and well” after the incident and stated the tiger would not be euthanized. The park remains closed for the day.

Chapman, who lived in Doncaster, traveled alone to the park from his hometown. No further details have been released about why he entered the enclosure. William Chapman was a former child actor who appeared in British television programs. He attended the Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe and had roles including portraying Edward Jenner in a series called “True Stories” and appearing in a children’s show named “May Contain Nuts.” The City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into the death, which its spokesperson said is “in line with our statutory duties.”

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