|
|
|
|
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 10:57:55 AM | And now the truth starts to come out...
SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) --
One of the three victims of a San Francisco Zoo tiger attack was intoxicated and admitted to yelling and waving at the animal while standing atop the railing of the big cat enclosure, police say in court documents.
Toxicology results for Paul Dhaliwal showed his blood alcohol level was 0.16 -- twice the legal limit for driving,
Paul Dhaliwal, 19, told the father of Carlos Sousa Jr., 17, who was killed, that the three yelled and waved at the tiger but insisted they never threw anything into its pen to provoke the cat, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained Thursday by the San Francisco Chronicle.
"As a result of this investigation, (police believe) that the tiger may have been taunted/agitated by its eventual victims," according to Inspector Valerie Matthews, who prepared the affidavit. Police believe that "this factor contributed to the tiger escaping from its enclosure and attacking its victims," she said.
Sousa's father, Carlos Sousa Sr., said Dhaliwal told him the three stood on a 3-foot-tall metal railing a few feet from the edge of the tiger moat. "When they got down they heard a noise in the bushes, and the tiger was jumping out of the bushes on him (Paul Dhaliwal)," the documents said.
Police found a partial shoe print that matched Paul Dhaliwal's on top of the railing, Matthews said in the documents.
The papers said Paul Dhaliwal told Sousa that no one was dangling his legs over the enclosure. Authorities believe the tiger leaped or climbed out of the enclosure, which had a wall 4 feet shorter than the recommended minimum.
The affidavit also cites multiple reports of a group of young men taunting animals at the zoo, the Chronicle reported.
Mark Geragos, an attorney for the Dhaliwal brothers, did not immediately return a call late Thursday by The Associated Press for comment. He has repeatedly said they did not taunt the tiger.
Calls to Sousa and Michael Cardoza, an attorney for the Sousa family, also weren't returned.
Toxicology results for Dhaliwal showed that his blood alcohol level was 0.16 -- twice the legal limit for driving, according to the affidavit. His 24-year-old brother Kulbir Dhaliwal and Sousa also had alcohol in their blood but within the legal limit, Matthews wrote.
All three also had marijuana in their systems, Matthews said. Kulbir Dhaliwal told police that the three had smoked pot and each had "a couple shots of vodka" before leaving San Jose for the zoo on Christmas Day the affidavit said.
Police found a small amount of marijuana in Kulbir Dhaliwal's 2002 BMW, which the victims rode to the zoo, as well as a partially filled bottle of vodka, according to court documents.
Investigators also recovered messages and images from the cell phones, but apparently nothing incriminating in connection with the tiger attack, the Chronicle reported.
Sam Singer, a spokesman for the zoo, said he had not seen the documents but believed the victims did taunt the animal, even though they claim they hadn't.
"Those brothers painted a completely different picture to the public and the press," Singer said. "Now it's starting to come out that what they said is not true." | |
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 11:06:45 AM | Dear Lady GoodDay,
At my "young" old age, I have learned woman are a lot like cats (any size). They have a mind of their own, apt to do what they want and where they want. You can set no boundries to those creatures, piss one off, and they'll get ya!!
Regarding the news story, it is an unforunate circumstance that one once killed, my heart goes out to the family of this young man. As usual, drinking has something to do with anything that goes wrong. These young men found out the hard way. As a side note, I hope they raise the enclosure by the four feet that was recommended. Should another group of young men get the urge to taunt a big cat, the cat will not be able to get them!
Be careful out there folks,
~Sneaks | |
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 2:40:20 PM | | I am SO fed up with hearing stories like this. This is not an isolated case, it happened in BC less than a year ago; a woman got into a tiger cage without any kind of backup or protection and she was mauled to death. They killed the tiger, and THAT'S what I find most upsetting. These animals are of the most beautiful and impressive creatures on the planet and we have damn near wiped them out. In asia they are still hunted and killed for their penises of all things, even though there are less than 6,000 of them left in the world. There is no logical reason to have them in captivity when they are on the verge of extiction. The living conditions for animals in zoos is akin to living in a pow or concentration camp. And this for an animal which, as far as nature is concerned, is above us on the food chain. And each time we have an incident like this we kill the animal. It's not fair to the individual tiger or the species as a whole. I'm fed up with it. I don't like hearing about people getting killed, but at least we're not endangered. We're not being trapped and caged, and killed when we try to escape or kill our captors. It disgusts me that we seem to think that our species is SO superior to the rest of the animal kingdom that we can do as we please for our own perverse pleasure. If we continue with this kind of mentality this incredible species will soon be gone. I feel much more sympathy for the tigers in these cases than I do for the people who get killed by them. We are in the wrong, not them, and when they kill us we're getting what we deserve. We need to do the right and moral thing and release all these animals back into their homes and protect them instead of treating them like knick knacks or novelty items to be collected. I'm on the side of the tigers in these cases. | |
|
| |
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 2:59:01 PM |
he three yelled and waved at the tiger but insisted they never threw anything into its pen to provoke the cat,
How is this taunting the tiger. I understand that this could piss the tiger off, but people do this all the time at a zoo. People wave and yell to get the animals to look towards a camera, kids climb on rails to get closer looks. I dont think the victims are angels, but still think the zoo are mostly responsible. And before anyone starts, weather an animal should be in captivity or not is not the topic. | |
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 3:04:21 PM | JayX -- I completely agree with you.
Personally, these dumb kids got exactly what was coming to them. Sorry, no sympathy from me on this one. The tiger was in a 'protected' environment (although the wall wasn't high enough...not the tiger's fault) and those kids didn't have any respect for the animal or the safety of other people in the park. Caging animals for their protection and then killing them when they exhibit normal animal behavior is stupid...sorry the kid was killed, but hey, that's the risk he took when he decided to start teasing the tiger...and he lost. So much for being the 'superior' species.
arieann - I think there's more to the story. I don't think that's all those kids did. We may find the story is just beginning to unfold.
| |
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 3:11:08 PM | | you said it jay,I believe in santuaries, but zoo's are an abomination to gods creatures,their nothing but prisons for animals,pacing and stressing out in their cages,I 'd love to burn every one of them them to the ****ing ground,then put the owner in a cage for a year,see how he likes it,and what kind of self centered mindless drones go to these places,zero spiritual awareness, paying to get in,perpetuating this sick pathetic way for someone to make a living,I applaude when someone gets mauled by a zoo animal,I would love to see many more deaths,,then mabey zoos will be a concept of the past,as well as travelling carnivals . | |
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 3:31:32 PM | Wasn't a fair trade....Tiger should have got all three...the real tragedy was the killing of the tiger. Their parents have the ability to create more morons...
I wish I could have been there to see those aholes faces when that tiger leaped the wall....THAT would have been PRICELESS.... | |
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 3:41:05 PM | That Tiger unknowingly sacificed it's life to keep high and drunk drivers off the road that day.
Thank you. I have family in San Francisco.
My sympathy goes out to the Tiger's family and the "victim's" family as well. | |
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 3:58:35 PM | | Oh, I believe more will come out, but until then, stop saying they are guilty of taunting the tiger and how that boy deserved to die.Thats the same as saying its ok sending a person to the electric chair before the investigation is done and before a trial.I do believe the tiger is the only completely innocent victim. But I believe the zoo is the most guilty, as far as what has come out so far. | |
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 4:53:53 PM | | I'm not surprised by this - there was so much more to the story than believed. This tiger had plenty of opportunity to escape (due to the low walls), but didn't. Personally, I think the zoo should be fined (for not being in compliance on wall height); the walls should be built higher (which they are), and all of the boys & their families should not get one penny! Not one penny, even for medical bills. Unfortunately, this won't be the case. I'd like to see the young men get a charge for public intoxication; drugs; etc. and get a rap sheet so long, that they will be sentenced to cleaning up elephant dung for the next 5 years! | |
|
| |
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 6:41:45 PM | I think the concept of a Zoo is a good thing, in my opinion. Not everyone has or will have the opportunity to travel to the natural habitats of these wild, and beautiful creatures. So, to be able to go to one place, one location, and see these majestic animals, goes a long way to preserving the reverence of such creatures; at least in theory. In my opinion, having one or two animals of different species, (per zoo) is a fair trade, to instill some respect of these animals, in the humans who come to observe them. It is my belief that if there were no zoos, or some sort of similar 'sanctuary', there would be infinitely more people who remained apathetic to the plight of some of these species. It's one thing to see a tiger on TV; it's quite another to see one close up, with your own eyes.
OT - I too, believe that there are still many facts about this case that will come out. I mean, c'mon: first they said, 'no, we didn't do anything'; then it changes to, 'well we did some stuff; but not all that stuff'. I think it's reasonable to believe that there is still much those two young men are keeping from getting out, if only to not adversely affect the outcome of the inevitable law suits that will be filed in the near future; if they haven't been already. I feel badly for the family that lost a child; but, in this case: 'you get what you pay for', so to speak.
~banquo~ | |
|
| |
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 7:50:15 PM |
OT - I too, believe that there are still many facts about this case that will come out. I mean, c'mon: first they said, 'no, we didn't do anything'; then it changes to, 'well we did some stuff; but not all that stuff'. I think it's reasonable to believe that there is still much those two young men are keeping from getting out, if only to not adversely affect the outcome of the inevitable law suits that will be filed in the near future; if they haven't been already. I feel badly for the family that lost a child; but, in this case: 'you get what you pay for', so to speak.
Exactly. I would feel a whole lot more sympathy for those kids if they hadn't lied in the beginning. They've lost all credibility now. As far as lawsuits go, I think I read where the father and mother were going to start legal action. So...the kid was 17 and drinking and some reports had the parents saying they didn't know where this kid was or what he was up to. Nice concerned parents. Seems the old, 'I smell money' may be kicking in. | |
|
| |
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 8:22:02 PM | Very sad.
It looks like...
The zoo was at fault.
The kids were at fault.
The parents were at fault.
The parents will probably sue the zoo. The zoo should sue the parents for their kid's part in the loss of the tiger. The surviving kids should spend a year or more shoveling dung and getting to know the animals.
I feel for the spirit of the tiger and agree it was the most innocent here.
Well designed and well run zoos can play a positive part in preserving some protected and endangered species. Some species have virtually recovered and gone from endangered to protected because of the zoos. But when profit margins become more important than the animals' welfare everybody loses.
The zoo will now spend 100 times or more in dollars due to litigation than what they "saved" by not raising the enclosure walls as recommended. But that's how business is done in the U.S.
Very sad indeed. | |
|
| |
| |
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/18/2008 9:55:52 PM | I am with you JayX
That incident was so disturbing! Taunting a tiger...what is wrong with people?
It is so sad to think these beautiful animals are on the endangered species list and will soon be extinct! | |
|
| Tiger attack victim was drinking, admitted taunting
Posted: 1/19/2008 3:02:00 AM | | The zoo lied when they said the moat was 18 feet, then 16 feet, then admitted the moat was 12 1/2 feet. Maybe I am to sympathedic when it comes to human life, especially young people. I even said a prayer for Saddam Hussain.But I will try to understand niot to mess with nature. How is this. I am glad all those people on the planes died in 9-11 because nature did not mean for humans to fly.I will also add I am happy all those people died in the Road Island night club fire where "Great White" was performing because they all were drinking in public. | |
|
|
| Page 1 of 12
|
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 |
|
Home
login 
like hell.
