Man Killed By Tiger At Yorkshire Wildlife Park Had Suffered From Mental Illness For Years
A man named William Chapman was mauled to death by a Siberian tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on October 10, 2026. Now, his family reveals that he had suffered from mental illness for years.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleThe shocking incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park has been dominating the headlines for some time now. For the unversed, a man was mauled to death by a Siberian tiger after the former entered the mammal’s enclosure. He reportedly jumped about 12ft to reach the tiger’s enclosure. The harrowing incident took place on the afternoon of October 10, 2026.
Recently, the identity of the man has been revealed. Now, in an interview, the victim’s family shared that he suffered from a significant mental illness.
The victim's family members revealed he was on strong medication due to his long-standing mental illness
According to reports, the victim who was killed by the tiger, Altai, at Yorkshire Wildlife Park was William Chapman. The man was 23 years old when he tragically passed away. In a recent interview with The Independent, William’s family members revealed that he had been mentally ill for a long time. The family said:
"We are utterly devastated by the loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. William suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication."
Chapman’s family remembered him as "a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved – and William loved them back." The family expressed that they are hopeful that the authorities will investigate the incident thoroughly and try their best to understand why their son acted the way he did and what made him do it. Recently, police described William as vulnerable. Reports stated that William was a former child actor. He previously featured on ITV’s May Contain Nuts, alongside Harry Potter star Shirley Henderson, and in the BBC’s True Stories series.
William reportedly recorded a video after he entered the tiger’s enclosure. In the short clip, William walked towards the tiger named Altai. The tiger was resting on a raised wooden platform. Heavy breathing was heard in the audio before the video ended. Daily Mail reported that during the tiger attack, 23-year-old Chapman appeared to tell the Siberian tiger off by making a fist and wagging his little finger.
However, Chapman’s hand gesture sparked speculation online, and social media users on X are claiming that he used the Makaton technique to communicate with the tiger. For those unaware, Makaton is a unique language system distinct from British Sign Language, which combines hand gestures, pictures, and speech to communicate.
More about the Yorkshire Wildlife Park incident and the victim
According to a witness, Chapman was 'dancing erratically' before he reportedly jumped 12 ft to reach the tiger’s enclosure despite other visitors’ desperate attempts to pull him back. Reports stated that a mom who visited the park that day with her two children tried to pull William back, but she was not strong enough to stop him.
Chapman was attacked by the Siberian tiger, Altai, at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on the afternoon of October 10, 2026. Two ambulances and a helicopter attended the park near Doncaster at around 1.35 p.m. Paramedics tried to save Chapman, but he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Zookeepers also tried to save 23-year-old Chapman by using acoustic devices to make five loud noises near the tiger, Altai. They believed the sounds would distract Altai and make it move away from the man.
According to a report by The Independent, Chapman previously attended Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Sharing a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, the school wrote that they were deeply saddened by the loss of their former student. The school authorities added that they loved Chapman growing up both as a person and as a performer.
Rest in peace, William Chapman. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family.
Pic credit: William Chapman/IG, Yorkshire Wildlife Park
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