Supporters of Harambe, the dead gorilla, have blamed the parents for what they say is a failure to properly supervise the boy.
John Minchillo / AP
Police in Cincinnati, Ohio, said Tuesday they are investigating the parents of a young boy who fell into a zoo's gorilla enclosure, prompting workers to fatally shoot a male gorilla to protect the child.
The death of Harambe the gorilla on Saturday has attracted international attention, with many criticizing the zoo for its decision to kill the animal.
The four-year-old boy's parents have also been heavily criticized after the child was able to crawl under a railing and through wires before falling into the exhibit's moat.
In a statement on Tuesday, police said they had launched a review "regarding the actions of the parents/family that led up to the incident."
Officers said their investigation does not concern the operation or safety of the zoo itself.
Police have asked witnesses and those with video recordings of the incident to contact authorities.
John Minchillo / AP
The boy and his family have not been officially identified by authorities or the zoo, but the parents did release a statement to local media on Sunday.
"We know that this was a very difficult decision for [zoo officials to shoot the animal], and that they are grieving the loss of their gorilla," the family said.
The zoo on Monday defended the decision by staff to shoot the animal, saying the child's life was in danger.
"We're the ones who took this loss and we made a very difficult call in handling it," zoo director Thane Maynard told reporters.
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1VtGw4V
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