The family of William Chapman, the 24-year-old man killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, England, has raised concerns about his contact with mental health services before his death....
The family of William Chapman, the 24-year-old man killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, England, has raised concerns about his contact with mental health services before his death.
An inquest into Chapman’s death opened at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on Thursday, hearing that he had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had experienced bouts of psychosis.
Chapman died on Saturday after entering the tiger’s enclosure at the wildlife park in South Yorkshire.
Coroner’s officer Caitlin Brookes told the inquest that Chapman’s family said he had suffered from “significant mental illness over a number of years” and had been “prescribed strong medication”.
She said Chapman was under the care of adult mental health services in Doncaster but was considered “highly functioning and independent with no care requirements”.
Brookes added that his family had expressed “a number of concerns” about his contact with mental health services.
An initial post-mortem examination found that Chapman, a self-employed online trader who lived in Doncaster, died from multiple traumatic injuries sustained during the encounter.
“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,” Brookes told the inquest.
Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The City of Doncaster Council, which is responsible for licensing the wildlife park, has also begun a health and safety investigation.
A full inquest is scheduled for March 2027.
Family Condemns Circulation of Footage
Chapman’s family has expressed distress over the circulation of footage showing the fatal attack, appealing for authorities to establish the circumstances that led to his death.
In an earlier statement, the family said it hoped officials would “get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did”.
It added that “the publication and circulation of deeply offensive media content is causing severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time”.
The family’s concerns followed a post by US President Donald Trump, who shared footage of the attack with his followers on Truth Social, accompanied by the message: “Don’t ever mess with nature!”
Trump subsequently posted an AI-generated video appearing to show him grappling with a tiger, in a clip that appeared to mimic the original incident.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard condemned the president’s actions, saying the Chapman family had contacted his office.
“I know all decent people across South Yorkshire will be sending them their love, thoughts and empathy,” Coppard said.
Wildlife Park Rules Out Euthanising Tiger
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has confirmed that Altai, the Amur tiger involved in the incident, is “safe and well” and will not be euthanised.
The park said it had received numerous messages from members of the public expressing concern about the animal.
Chapman, a former child actor, appeared in ITV’s May Contain Nuts and the BBC’s True Stories series, according to IMDb.
He previously attended Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
In a tribute shared on Facebook, the school said it was “deeply saddened” by the loss of its former student.
“We loved watching William grow, both as a person and as a performer,” it said.
The circumstances surrounding Chapman’s death remain under investigation, with a full inquest expected in March 2027.