Family of UK man killed by tiger in park criticise Trump’s video posts

The family of William Chapman, a 23-year-old man fatally attacked by a tiger at a wildlife park, have expressed severe distress over deeply offensive media content, including a video posted by US President Donald Trump. The tragedy occurred on Saturday at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster when Chapman entered the tiger enclosure.

Trump, with his 13 million followers on Truth Social, reposted a widely shared video of the incident on Tuesday evening, a clip that showed the tiger biting and clawing the young man but not killing him. Trump's post was accompanied with the message, "Don't ever mess with nature!"

On Wednesday morning, Trump posted another video, an AI-generated version of himself grappling with a tiger, set to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The family, in their statement, described Chapman as a "bright, warm and engaging young man" who was dearly loved by his family. However, they also criticized the online reaction to his death, questioning the role of his "significant mental illness over a number of years" and the strong medication he was prescribed in the incident.

The family has asked people to stop circulating the deeply offensive media content, stating that it is causing them severe distress in their already vulnerable state. They are hopeful that authorities will thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding their son's actions. The inquest into Chapman's death is set to open at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on Thursday morning.