Mr Trump, asked about the gorilla during a news conference in NY, referred to videos showing the animal at times appearing protective of the child, who got away from his mother and entered the gorilla’s enclosure.
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A record of police calls shows nine minutes passed between the first emergency call about a 3-year-old boy falling into the Cincinnati Zoo gorilla enclosure and when the child was safe.
He saw his company rebuild the gorilla exhibit at Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands after the escape of Bokito, a silverback who wounded four people in 2007.
(AP Photo/John Minchillo). Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, speaks during a news conference, Monday, May 30, 2016, in Cincinnati. The USDA examined the exhibit in April and found no violations.
The family said the boy is “still doing well” after his latest checkup.
“We continue to praise God for His grace and mercy, and to be thankful to the Cincinnati Zoo for their actions taken to protect our child”, the boy’s family said Wednesday.
The family also expressed gratitude for the support they’ve received since Saturday. The statement said some even have offered money, which they won’t accept.
Cincinnati police are not investigating the Cincinnati Zoo as it falls under the United States Department of Agriculture’s jurisdiction.
But rather than look at fatal shooting of the animal, reports claim the inquiries will focus on the “actions of parents and family” in the build up to the incident. “If it is determined charges need to be brought forward, we would then discuss it with the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office”.
Activists say the zookeepers acted too quickly, that the animal was playing and protecting the child.
Is the mother of the boy to blame for not noticing that her child climbed a barrier until he tumbled into the gorilla habitat?
He added: “I could go in the cage with him and he would not attack me, but he might accidentally kill me just by playing”.
Since the unfortunate death of beloved gorilla Harambe at the Cincinnati Zoo on May 28 – who was shot and killed after a boy fell into the gorilla pen and officials feared for his safety – many have been outraged by the tragic events.
The zoo has done a necropsy on the gorilla, but they haven’t released any details on the results.
“We are closely reviewing the facts of the case”, the department said in a Tweet. Metal railings and large planters also stand between the viewing area.
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In a story May 28 about a gorilla shot and killed after a child fell into its enclosure, The Associated Press, relying on information provided by the Cincinnati Zoo, reported erroneously the child’s age.
