A man died at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster on Saturday after entering a tiger enclosure. Donald Trump later shared footage of the attack on Truth Social, then posted an AI-generated video of himself taming a tiger. According to the Daily Mail, the clip shows an AI likeness of Trump wrestling the animal and then befriending it.
South Yorkshire Police received reports at 1:35 p.m. on Saturday of a man entering the tiger enclosure. In a police statement, officers said the tiger “subsequently attacked the man, resulting in serious injury.” Police said the man, William Chapman, was visiting the park alone and was pronounced dead at the scene. Reports describe him as in his early 20s, and his family is aware and is being supported by specialist officers, according to police.
The tiger is an Amur tiger named Altai, according to the park. Police added that the animal was not injured and remained in the enclosure, with “no wider risk to the public.” The park offered its “thoughts and heartfelt sympathies” to the family and said staff would receive specialist support. The park was evacuated after the incident and stayed closed through Wednesday, its fifth day.
Council opens health and safety investigation
City of Doncaster Council, the park’s licensing authority, announced a health and safety investigation on Monday. The council is working with South Yorkshire Police and health agencies. Executive director Dan Swaine stated that the council would not comment further on the investigation. An inquest is due to open at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on Thursday morning.
The park confirmed that Altai will not be euthanized and described the tiger as safe and well. It added that “many, many people” had contacted it about the animal. Footage of the attack has spread across social media platforms since the attack. On Tuesday evening, Trump posted a 41-second clip of the attack to Truth Social. His caption read “Don’t ever mess with nature!” The White House Rapid Response account also shared the clip.
Police had already said they “encourage people not to share this footage,” and Chapman’s family had asked the same. Later that night, Trump posted a montage of big cats attacking people, set to music. Hours after the first clip, he posted the AI video to Truth Social, and it carried no caption. It shows his digital likeness confronting the tiger, chasing it away and wrestling it before the two embrace. The soundtrack is “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
Chapman’s family released a statement through South Yorkshire Police. They described him as a “bright, warm and engaging young man” whom they dearly loved. The family asked that the footage no longer be circulated. Truth Social also carried Trump’s post on the Nobel decision earlier this month.
Published: Oct 14, 2026 02:44 pm