Family pays tribute to William Chapman, killed by tiger

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 09:02 · Archive

William Chapman, 23, was mauled to death after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster on Saturday.

William Chapman, 23, was killed on Saturday after entering the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster and being mauled by a tiger. His family released a statement on Tuesday describing him as a 'bright, warm and engaging young man' whom they deeply loved.

The family noted that Mr Chapman had suffered from 'significant mental illness over a number of years' and was prescribed strong medication. They said it would be for the coroner to decide what part his illness played in his death, and asked the public to respect that process.

The family expressed their devastation and said they were struggling to come to terms with what happened. They asked people to stop publishing and circulating what they described as 'deeply offensive media content' about the incident, saying it was causing them severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time. The family also expressed hope that authorities would investigate why he entered the enclosure.

As a child, Mr Chapman appeared in ITV's May Contain Nuts and the BBC's True Stories series. He had attended Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, which paid tribute to him on Facebook.

How it is being reported

• Family pays tribute to ‘bright young man’ killed by tiger at wildlife parkThe family of William Chapman, who was killed by a tiger at a wildlife park, have described the 23-year-old as a “bright, warm and engaging young man”.Malvern Gazette · 14 Oct, 08:28
• Family pays tribute to ‘bright young man’ killed by tiger at wildlife parkThe family of William Chapman, who was killed by a tiger at a wildlife park, have described the 23-year-old as a “bright, warm and engaging young man”.Worcester News · 14 Oct, 08:28

In this story: William Chapman · Yorkshire Wildlife Park · Doncaster · Jackie Palmer Stage School · High Wycombe · Buckinghamshire · Shirley Henderson

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