William Chapman has been named as the man who was killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, on Saturday.
Emergency services were contacted shortly after 1.30pm on October 10 when the 23-year-old, who police said was visiting the park alone, entered the enclosure of a rare Amur tiger called Altai. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Since the incident, Mr Chapman’s early stint as an actor has come to light. He previously featured on ITV’s May Contain Nuts, alongside Harry Potter star Shirley Henderson, and in the BBC’s True Stories series, according to IMDB.
Mr Chapman’s family have described him as “bright, warm and engaging”, adding that he had suffered from “significant mental illness” over a number of years.
An inquest that opened into his death at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on Thursday heard that Mr Chapman had a history of mental illness and a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Who is Will Chapman?
The inquest opening heard Mr Chapman’s full name was William Harry Bruce Chapman, and that he was born in 2002 in Chichester. He was a self-employed online trader who was living in Doncaster at the time of his death, the court was told.
Mr Chapman previously attended Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. In a tribute shared on Facebook, the school said it was “deeply saddened” to hear of the loss of its former student, adding “we loved watching William grow, both as a person and as a performer”.
Jackie Palmer Stage School said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our former student, William Chapman. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with William’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.
“We loved watching William grow, both as a person and as a performer, during his time with us. It was a privilege to be part of his journey, and he will be remembered with great fondness by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. William will be truly missed, and he will always hold a special place in our hearts. Rest in peace, William.”
According to footage posted in reports, Mr Chapman appeared to have filmed the moment he approached the animal.
A short clip, apparently posted on a now-deleted Instagram account, was filmed inside the tiger’s enclosure and the large animal can be seen lying on top of a wooden platform, a few metres in front of the camera. In the audio, the person filming can be heard breathing heavily as distant voices shout “Oh my God” and “seriously”.
At an inquest opening on Thursday, coroner’s officer Caitlin Brookes said he had climbed over two fences and entered the tiger enclosure.
Ms Brookes said: “He was approached by the tiger and the ensuing physical contact between the tiger and Mr Chapman led to him sustaining multiple traumatic injuries which rapidly led to his death.”
Park staff secured the tiger, and paramedics attended but confirmed Mr Chapman’s death at the scene.
The court heard Mr Chapman had suffered previous bouts of psychosis, and that his family had expressed concerns about his contact with mental health services leading up to his death.
Mr Chapman was under adult mental health services in Doncaster but was “highly functioning and independent with no care requirements,” the inquest heard.
Ms Brookes said the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation trust had launched an investigation following Mr Chapman’s death.
Trump shares tiger footage
POTUS Donald Trump shared footage of the fatal attack on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, writing “don’t ever mess with nature! President DJT”.
He later posted an apparently AI-generated video depicting himself taming a tiger and playing with it.
Mr Chapman’s family have since urged people to stop sharing footage of the attack, saying it was causing them ‘severe distress’.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park reopens
The park will reopen on Friday for the first time following the attack.
In a statement, the park said it has had “engagement with the relevant authorities” and is continuing to assist the police with their enquiries.
City of Doncaster Council, which is responsible for licensing the park, said on Monday it had started a health and safety investigation.
Dan Swaine, executive director of place at City of Doncaster Council, said: “As the relevant licensing authority for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, I can confirm that, in line with our statutory duties, the council has launched a health and safety investigation.
“We are also working with multiple agencies, including the police and health agencies, and are supporting the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in response to the incident. At this time, we won’t be commenting further on the individual or the investigation and we ask that the privacy of those involved is respected at this difficult time.”
In a previous statement on social media, the wildlife park said “many, many people” had contacted them about Altai, the Amur tiger involved in the incident, and it confirmed he is “safe and well” and will not be euthanised.
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