New Delhi: After a heart-wrenching incident last week, in which two magnificent lions were killed in order to save a suicidal man in Santiago, Chile, another similar incident has taken place at the Cincinnati Zoo.
According to reports, a four year-old boy crawled through a barrier and slipped into a Gorilla's enclosure on a crowded day. He fell approximately 10-12 feet into the moat.
The reports further mentioned witnesses who claimed that the Gorilla was violently dragging and throwing the child.
In a video that has been released, Harambe, the Gorilla, can be seen standing over the child, grabbing him and dragging him around. Two female Gorilla's were also present in the enclosure.
Since, the child's life was under threat, the zoo made the “difficult” decision to shoot and kill the Gorilla.
The child was taken to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for treatment soon after. However, no life-threatening injuries have been reported.
According to a zoo official, the child was with the 400-pound Gorilla for at least 10 minutes before the zoo's Dangerous Animal Response Team deemed the situation "life-threatening”.
As per Cincinnati.com, the fire department release said that the boy was in between the Gorilla's legs at the time of the shot.
After the Gorilla was shot, zoo employees unlocked the gate and two firefighters quickly retrieved the child, according to the fire department.
Check out the video below:
(Video courtesy: LIVE LEAK)
