Man killed by tiger at Yorkshire zoo had bouts of psychosis, inquest hears
William Chapman, 24, died on October 10, 2026, after climbing two fences and entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster. An inquest opened on October 15 at Doncaster Coroner's Court heard that Chapman had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a history of psychosis. The tiger, Altai, weighed 30st and caused Chapman multiple traumatic injuries. The park has since reopened following consultation with authorities. Chapman's family expressed concerns regarding his prior contact with mental health services and distress over social media posts of the attack.
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- ✓ William Chapman, 24, was killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on October 10, 2026.
- ✓ Chapman entered the enclosure by climbing two fences.
- ✓ The tiger involved in the attack is named Altai and weighs 30st.
- ✓ Chapman had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and previous bouts of psychosis.
What changed
An inquest disclosed Chapman's schizophrenia diagnosis and the specific details of his entry into the enclosure.
Live updates
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Inquest reveals psychosis diagnosis for man killed by tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
William Chapman, 24, died on October 10, 2026, after climbing two fences and entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster. An inquest opened on October 15 at Doncaster Coroner's Court heard that Chapman had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a history of psychosis. The tiger, Altai, weighed 30st and caused Chapman multiple traumatic injuries. The park has since reopened following consultation with authorities. Chapman's family expressed concerns regarding his prior contact with mental health services and distress over social media posts of the attack.
Why it matters
The incident raises questions about zoo security and the adequacy of mental health support. The case has gained international attention after Donald Trump shared footage of the fatal attack. The park's reopening follows a brief closure for investigation.
What is confirmed
- William Chapman, 24, was killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on October 10, 2026.
- Chapman entered the enclosure by climbing two fences.
- The tiger involved in the attack is named Altai and weighs 30st.
- Chapman had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and previous bouts of psychosis.
- An inquest into the death opened at Doncaster Coroner's Court on October 15.
- Yorkshire Wildlife Park has reopened after consulting with relevant authorities.
- Donald Trump shared footage of the attack on social media.
Still unconfirmed
- Medical records related to the tiger attack may have been breached.
What to watch next
- Findings from the Doncaster Coroner regarding security failures or mental health lapses.
- Official response from mental health services regarding Chapman's prior care.
confidence 95%Sources used for this update (16)
- www.yahoo.com — Yahoo
- Yahoo — Wildlife park fatal tiger attack - what we know so far
- Forbes — Trump Shares Bizarre AI Tiger Video In Late-Night Spree After Posting Fatal Attack Footage
- www.theguardian.com — AI godfather Geoffrey Hinton: ‘We’re creating alien beings. I’m willing to be selfish and choose humans’ | Donald Trump
- www.mirror.co.uk — Prince Harry and Meghan 'excited' ahead of first 'royal-style' engagement since UK return - The Mirror
- BBC — Man killed in tiger attack identified as William Chapman
- The Guardian — Man killed by tiger at Yorkshire zoo had bouts of psychosis, inquest hears
- BBC — Tiger attack medical records may have been breached
- www.theguardian.com — Man killed by tiger at Yorkshire zoo had bouts of psychosis ...
- www.dailymail.com — Tiger attack victim's family expressed 'concerns' about his ...
- www.irishexaminer.com — Man killed by tiger at Yorkshire zoo had bouts of psychosis, inquest hears - Irish Examiner
- uk.news.yahoo.com — Tiger attack victim had experienced previous bouts of ...
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