A council health and safety investigation is underway as Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed following Saturday’s fatal attack.
DONCASTER, England — The man killed after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park has been identified as William Chapman, as authorities continue investigating how the fatal incident unfolded at the attraction in northern England.
Chapman, who was in his 20s, died Saturday after entering the enclosure occupied by an Amur tiger named Altai. Emergency services were called shortly after 1:30 p.m., and Chapman was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by medical personnel. The case has since moved beyond the initial emergency response into a wider examination involving the park, police and the local licensing authority.
City of Doncaster Council said it has launched a health and safety investigation in line with its duties as the authority responsible for licensing Yorkshire Wildlife Park. The council said it is working with police and health agencies and supporting the wildlife park while the circumstances are examined. Officials have not announced findings from that investigation.
South Yorkshire Police said Chapman was believed to have been visiting the park alone. Footage apparently posted from a social media account before the attack showed a person inside the enclosure and approaching the tiger. Other videos of the incident also circulated online after the death. Police have urged people not to share footage of the attack.
The precise reason Chapman entered the enclosure has not been established publicly. Authorities have not announced a motive, and accounts from witnesses do not by themselves establish what he intended. His family has been informed of his death and has received support from specialist police officers.
The attack occurred in the park’s tiger area, where visitors normally view the animals from a raised walkway separated from the habitat. Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009, and its Land of the Tigers attraction opened in 2011 as a purpose-built reserve for Amur tigers. The animals are also known as Siberian tigers.
The park was evacuated after the attack. Police said Altai was not injured and remained within the enclosure, with no wider danger to the public. The wildlife park later said the tiger was safe and well and would not be euthanized because of the incident.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park said its emergency procedures were activated when the incident occurred and that it has been cooperating with authorities. The facility has remained closed while the response and investigation continue, and its website continued to list the wildlife park as closed Tuesday.
Flowers have been left near the entrance as investigators continue their work. The council has asked that the privacy of Chapman’s family, witnesses and others affected by the incident be respected while agencies establish what happened and whether any further action is required.
Author note: Last updated October 13, 2026.