Cincinnati Zoo kills gorilla after child gets into his cage, May 28, 2016

[JeannaT]

all excellent reasons for raising your own meat. has nothing to do with the gunman (zoo employee with unknown training) who shot the ape (cincy zoo is not a gun free zone) and should be prosecuted.

So just to be clear.

It's your belief that the zoo employee, who was clearly using zoo property to shoot this gorilla, should be prosecuted for discharging a firearm?

I'm just trying to be clear.

 

[Montjoy]

Well, I'm not blaming anyone for not jumping in!! I did note that no one considered jumping in, as a way to illustrate this extremely deep moat wall would have been clearly too fall to jump, and so to most, it wouldn't even occur to them to attempt it. They wouldn't consider it and discard the thought, they literally would not even think of it.

And that's why, IMHO, no one except this 4 year old ever did this. Although certainly many preschoolers were intrigued and might have liked to play with a gorilla. The sheer drop off was prohibitive.

Agreed. Jumping into the enclosure would have done nothing to help the situation, and most likely would have agitated the gorillas further, leading to an outcome of two dead humans, 1 dead gorilla.

 

[Montjoy]

So just to be clear.

It's your belief that the zoo employee, who was clearly using zoo property to shoot this gorilla, should be prosecuted for discharging a firearm?

I'm just trying to be clear.

I don't think that was Tangelo's point, and for what it's worth, I don't think that anyone has blamed the zoo employee. In terms of gravity of victimhood, s/he was the second victim here (first victim being the gorilla, third victim being the child's mother).

 

[drjones]

I don't think that was Tangelo's point, and for what it's worth, I don't think that anyone has blamed the zoo employee. In terms of gravity of victimhood, s/he was the second victim here (first victim being the gorilla, third victim being the child's mother).

hmm i thought that was what he was saying, i dont see any other way to read it. unless there is some sarcasm im missing?

 

[drjones]

press conference happening now, hasnt actually started yet but the press just got a handout and they all seem to be saying no charges filed;

http://www.fox19.com/story/32154471/decision-on-charges-in-cincinnati-zoo-incident-expected-today

 

[drjones]

official - no charges filed

prosecutor taking questions;

no other video of incident exists

by all accounts this mother did not act in any way to introduce the child to any harm

she had just turned her back and he scampered away

glad to see changes made by zoo

the zoo lost a beautiful animal, but it was still an animal, it does not equate to human life

mother was attending to her children by all accounts received

*showing pictures of precise area where boy went through*

 

[drjones]

continued prosecutor comments;

social workers performed home visit and were all very impressed with the environment child lived in

prosecutor was taken aback by hearing so many people equate the two lives (gorilla and boy) *he seemed to be referring to emails/contact etc they had received from public*

this happened in seconds, she turned her back to tend to another child and he ran off, does not rise to level of prosecution (and by his comments you can tell he does not feel it was in any way neglectful)

family is doing well

entire focus of investigation was on what the mother was doing during the time the child got away

cannot imagine any criminal charges being filed against the zoo

according to all witnesses this happened so quickly there was nothing that could have been done

and its over.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I really wonder how much people would blame the mother if her child was abducted at the zoo.

 

[blue22]

I think it would be the same, honestly.

 

[drjones]

I think it would be the same, honestly.

i think there would still be some people that would do it, but its interesting to note that it would not be allowed on this site because it would be considered victim bashing (without proof).

it is quite notable all of the accusations and insults lobbed at this boy and the family without any proof at all.

 

[Montjoy]

i think there would still be some people that would do it, but its interesting to note that it would not be allowed on this site because it would be considered victim bashing (without proof).

it is quite notable all of the accusations and insults lobbed at this boy and the family without any proof at all.

Sadly, even with the press conference's exoneration of the mother, I expect that many will continue to bash her. They'll deny the police findings just as they denied all of the witness statements.

 

[bluesneakers]

I really wonder how much people would blame the mother if her child was abducted at the zoo.

I hate to say it but I think plenty of people would still place the blame on her, and plenty of others would judge her and criticize her.

"It's not her fault, BUT..."

 

[bluesneakers]

Thanks for posting the prosecutor's comments drjones.

 

[KaaBoom]

press conference happening now, hasnt actually started yet but the press just got a handout and they all seem to be saying no charges filed;

http://www.fox19.com/story/32154471/decision-on-charges-in-cincinnati-zoo-incident-expected-today

"None of the witnesses interviewed described the mother as anything but attentive to her children," said Deters.

Deters said the mother was watching the kids and called it believable that a 3-year-old boy can simply "scamper" away from his mother.

Case closed. Enough said. She is a victim/family member. Hopefully the forum rules will prevent any more spreading of misinformation about her.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

"the zoo lost a beautiful animal, but it was still an animal, it does not equate to human life" (paraphrase from press conference from another post)

I cannot subscribe to this theory. I am in no way talking about the life of a child. But if Jeffrey Dahmer and a police K-9 who had saved lives (even if he hadn't saved any lives) were stranded on a mountain and I could only save one, I would choose the police k-9. That's my issue and it does not have anything to do with this case. To me all life is precious and I am no more important than an ant in the scheme of things. Just a core belief that no one has ever been able to change about me. I have been in countless situations where I have placed my life in jeopardy for another life regardless of species. It is also one which really bothers my husband and children simply because my life, to them, is important. I am still mourning Harambe and I hope his cellmates are recovering from the trauma. JMO

 

[jjenny]

"the zoo lost a beautiful animal, but it was still an animal, it does not equate to human life" (paraphrase from press conference from another post)

I cannot subscribe to this theory. I am in no way talking about the life of a child. But if Jeffrey Dahmer and a police K-9 who had saved lives (even if he hadn't saved any lives) were stranded on a mountain and I could only save one, I would choose the police k-9. That's my issue and it does not have anything to do with this case. To me all life is precious and I am no more important than an ant in the scheme of things. Just a core belief that no one has ever been able to change about me. I have been in countless situations where I have placed my life in jeopardy for another life regardless of species. It is also one which really bothers my husband and children simply because my life, to them, is important. I am still mourning Harambe and I hope his cellmates are recovering from the trauma. JMO

You are not alone at that. Humans just decided their lives are more important than anybody else's. But humans are not going extinct (in fact it's the other way around). And some people have died trying to save their pets (so obviously pet life was of value to them, more so than their own).

 

[bluesneakers]

You are not alone at that. Humans just decided their lives are more important than anybody else's. But humans are not going extinct (in fact it's the other way around). And some people have died trying to save their pets (so obviously pet life was of value to them, more so than their own).

Exactly. It's not the gorillas' fault they're an endangered species.

 

[nomoresorrow]

To those equating value as to Harambe vs. human; Rather than viewing the shooting/killing of Harambe as proof positive that a human life was more valuable than his, I'd suggest it be put in a different - and more accurate - perspective. Put aside for a moment that Harambe was an ape and instead imagine if he had been a male human whom a child had an encounter with. The "man" begins to act aggressively toward the child, swing and dragging him about... Onlookers and police are unable to advance and apprehend the child because their efforts only increase the "man's" aggression, thereby further risking the child's life. In order to prevent the "man" from seriously harming/killing the child, police have no alternative but to shoot the "man." They cannot risk tasing him for fear that the taser probes may not attach deeply enough to be effective and could then cause the man to become even more enraged. The "man" is shot and killed and the child is recovered. The choice was made on the merit of eliminating the one causing danger and harm.

So for those who continue to want to equate equality to this... imagine if a 3-year-old child, out walking with his Mom & siblings, slipped away and entered the gate to your yard. Do you view him as an intruder and begin dragging/tossing him around? Of course not, BUT if you did and the police were called and could not safely approach to recover the child from you, you'd likely be shot as well. Would anyone then be arguing about your value vs. the child? No.

JMO ~

 

[jjenny]

I viewed the available video and at least from what is on video, I completely disagree that Harambe was acting aggressively. He wasn't trying to attack this child. He carried the child by child's limb, but there are videos of gorillas carrying gorilla babies that way (and they are not trying to harm them). Harambe was being a gorilla.

 

[drjones]

I viewed the available video and at least from what is on video, I completely disagree that Harambe was acting aggressively. He wasn't trying to attack this child. He carried the child by child's limb, but there are videos of gorillas carrying gorilla babies that way (and they are not trying to harm them). Harambe was being a gorilla.

remove all mentions of aggression from the argument and it is still just as sound. additionally, the video does not show the entirety of the encounter.