Exclusive:Yorkshire Wildlife Park evacuated as "shots fired" and tiger enclosure covered with "tarpaulin"
Eye witnesses say a “black screen” has been erected around the tiger enclosure while there were reports of “shots fired” shorty before the evacuation
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has been evacuated and closed due to an ongoing emergency incident - with a huge police and paramedic presence at the site.
Eye witnesses say a “black screen” has been erected around the tiger enclosure while there were reports of “shots fired” shortly before the evacuation.
Multiple witnesses say an “agitated” male was seen to jump into the enclosure and was grabbed by one of the cats before “five shots” of what some say was a “gas canister” into the cage.
It is understood the park has been closed for the rest of the day.
South Yorkshire Police and Yorkshire Ambulance Service have been contacted.
Tia Hanson was at the park for a day out with a pal when at around 2pm the walkway between the tiger enclosure and the exit was closed, she said.
She added: “It looks as if someone has jumped into the enclosure and they’ve had to shoot the tiger. People are saying they heard a gunshot and they say someone either jumped in, or fell in.
“There was an air ambulance and police everywhere. We’ve all been made to leave.
“When you’re leaving you have to walk past the tiger enclosure and they’ve put up all sort of black tarpaulin so you couldn’t really see.
“But there were loads of police and ambulance people and a stretcher in the enclosure as well.
“It wasn’t nice - there were lots of people who looked really upset.”
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has been contacted.
More to follow.