William Chapman tiger death prompts mental health investigation
A 24-year-old man with schizophrenia died after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, leading to an NHS investigation into his care and family distress over online footage.
William Chapman was killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster on Saturday after climbing into its enclosure. The 24-year-old, who had a history of schizophrenia, died from multiple traumatic injuries after the encounter with a 200kg male Siberian tiger named Altai.
William Chapman attended the park on 10 October. He climbed over two fences and entered the tiger enclosure at about 1.30pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Chapman’s mental health background and care
Despite being described as highly functioning and independent with no care requirements, Chapman had a long history of mental illness. He was under the care of local mental health services and had suffered previous bouts of psychosis. His family stated he suffered from significant mental illness over several years and was prescribed strong medication.
Chapman was a self-employed online trader living in Doncaster. He was also a former child actor, appearing in ITV's May Contain Nuts in 2009 alongside Shirley Henderson. He previously attended Jackie Palmer stage school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and appeared in BBC Learning’s True Stories series. The stage school posted a tribute and a childhood picture of him on Facebook.
A neighbour described Chapman as 'very polite and well-spoken' and a 'lovely man'. Josh, 24, who lived in the same building, said Chapman 'always had a laugh and a joke', was 'well kept', looked after himself physically, and loved discussing Formula 1.
Family concerns and official responses
At the inquest, coroner’s officer Caitlin Brookes reported the family had expressed 'a number of concerns' regarding his contact with mental health services. The inquest heard that Chapman's family had raised concerns about his contact with Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust.
The trust launched an investigation following William Chapman’s death. A trust spokesperson stated they would 'continue to respect and protect patient confidentiality at all times and cannot comment on William's care'. The trust confirmed Chapman's family were aware of the investigation.
The senior coroner, Nicola Mundy, instructed staff to contact Yorkshire Wildlife Park to preserve relevant CCTV and inform of any previous visits by Chapman. Chapman's family chose not to attend the inquest. His stepfather travelled to the mortuary to identify him on October 13.
Aftermath: park reopening, investigations, and online harm
Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed it would reopen on Friday for the first time since the fatal incident. The wildlife park confirmed the Amur tiger involved, named Altai, is 'safe and well' and will not be euthanised. The park stated it would provide specialist trauma support and ongoing care for those affected.
Chapman's family spoke out after Donald Trump shared a video of the attack on Truth Social on Tuesday. Trump shared the video with his 13 million followers. He followed with an AI-generated video of himself play-fighting with the tiger, ending with a hug. Chapman's family said the online footage was deeply offensive and caused them severe distress.
The family shared a tribute describing him as bright, warm, and engaging. Chapman’s family said: "William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved, and William loved them back."
The park said its ongoing welfare remains a priority of the experienced animal care team. It continues to assist South Yorkshire police and other agencies with enquiries. City of Doncaster Council is carrying out a health and safety investigation into the park’s licensing. The council said it would share the outcome with the coroner.
Wildlife and zoo experts told one publication it was unlikely the park could have prevented the death. South Yorkshire Police provided witness statements from the public and staff present. Mobile phone footage, believed to be from Chapman, showed the inside of the enclosure as he approached the tiger.
Senior coroner Nicola Mundy said her office was awaiting a more substantial report on the extent of Chapman's injuries. The inquest is adjourned until 18 March 2027, pending further reports on the extent of Chapman’s injuries and the NHS trust’s investigation.
