William Chapman - latest: Inquest updates after man killed by tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

William Chapman - latest: Inquest updates after man killed by tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park William Chapman, 23, was killed after he jumped into the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. An inquest into his death is due to be opened later this morning. An inquest to establish the facts surrounding the death of 23-year-old William Chapman is due to open today. Mr Chapman, who was a former child actor, jumped into the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire WIldlife Park as terrified onlookers urged him to "play dead". The Amur tiger, named Altai, then viciously attacked Mr Chapman and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. The hearing is scheduled to take place at Doncaster Coroner’s Court at 10am today; it is listed for William Harry Bruce Chapman. In a statement released on Tuesday evening, William's family said: “It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death. “We would ask everybody to respect that process.” Follow our live blog below for the latest updates. Key Events The role of a Coroners Officer The Coroners Officers, on behalf of the Coroner, obtain and record details of all unexpected, unnatural and violent deaths, reported from various informants. They liaise with interested parties, organise Post Mortem examinations and inform parties of the results. Prepare and issue relevant documents to allow families to get on with their registration and funeral ceremonies. Where required, the Coroners Officer will open investigations including inquests ensuring appropriate documentation is completed. The Coroners officers also conduct identified lines of enquiries, obtaining reports and statements from witnesses, clinicians and outside agencies. Coroners’ officers prepare files for Court, warn identified witnesses of attendance at Court and running Coronial Court hearings. Ancillary duties include dealing with Pathological samples, carrying out identification procedures liaising with foreign Governmental Departments, Advocates and family representative. Doncaster Coroners Court staff While the coroner sitting on Mr Chapman's inquest opening this morning has not been confirmed publicly yet, the council website lists the below staff and judicial teams for Doncaster Coroners Court. Senior Coroner: Ms Nicola Mundy Area Coroner: Mrs Louise Slater Assistant Coroners: - Ms Georgina Gibbs - Mr Ian Mullarkey - Mr Matt Stanbury - Mr Simon Tait - Mrs A Combes - Ms Elizabeth Wheeler Coroners Officers - David Haries Senior Coroners Officer - Frank Martin - Siobhan Golightly - Jane McDonnell - Scarlett Harrison - Caitlin Brookes - Debbie Gault - Lynda Loftus (Listings Officer) Where is the inquest opening? The inquest opening is due to take place at Doncaster Coroner's Court. On the Inquest listings on the council website it states the hearing will take place in the Coroners Court, Civic Building. The coroner sitting for the 10am hearing has not yet been publicly confirmed. What happens at an inquest opening? Formal start: It is a brief, procedural public hearing where the coroner formally opens the investigation into the death. Basic details recorded: The coroner formally records the identity of the deceased, the date and place of death, and the medical cause of death (if known at that stage). Adjournment: The hearing is almost immediately adjourned (postponed) to a later date to allow time for full police reports, post-mortem results, and further evidence to be gathered. Attendance: The bereaved family and press are allowed to attend, though it is not necessary for family members to be present. What is an inquest The primary purpose of an inquest is to conduct a public, fact-finding inquiry to establish who has died, when and where they died, and how they came by their death. An inquest is not a criminal or civil trial, and the coroner or jury cannot apportion blame, assign guilt, or determine legal or civil liability. An inquest seeks to answer four or five key questions: - Who the deceased person was - Where the death took place - When the death occurred - How the death came about (the circumstances surrounding the death) - The medical cause of death Tragedy reignites debate over keeping big cats in captivity The tragedy at Yorkshire Wildlife Park has reignited debate on social media over the ethics of keeping big cats and other large animals in captivity. Supporters argue that zoos play an important role in conserving endangered species through breeding programmes and other conservation efforts. Critics, however, point out that zoo enclosures are tiny compared with tigers' and lions' natural habitats, citing studies showing that some captive big cats exhibit signs of stress and display behaviours never seen in the wild. In comments following the tragedy, Dr Campbell Murn, programme director for zoology at the University of Reading, noted that for many people, visiting a zoo may be their only opportunity to see a tiger. "This encounter can be powerful. If it inspires people to care about these animals, it can turn into support for protecting them in the wild," he said. Carole Baskin, the star of Netflix's Tiger King and the CEO of Big Cat Rescue, which campaigns to end the exploitation of big cats, expressed her condolences to William Chapman's family in a statement to The New York Post shortly after the tragedy. Baskin added: "We don't yet know all the circumstances that led to this man's death, and it would be wrong to speculate. What we do know is that a tiger is a powerful wild predator, and no amount of captivity, training, or familiarity can change that." Tiger was probably "just playing" - animal keeper says Animal keeper Reece Oliver told Sky News the 30-stone (200kg) tiger was probably "just playing" when it began pawing the man. "If it really wanted to kill him, it would have probably killed him within 10 seconds," he said. "I don't think it knew what he was going to do, because the only thing that goes into that enclosure normally would be enrichment toys or food. "So, I think he was probably just playing, using his predatory instinct, seeing what it was, what he was, and unfortunately it ended up being a fatal attack." William's final three words to Altai Reports say witnesses told him to "play dead" before the animal killed him but he did not understand and instead told the tiger to "stop being naughty", Sky News reports. Park visitor relives tiger attack horror – 'I tried to look away but I couldn't' Ella Ford, 24, was visiting Yorkshire Wildlife Park with her boyfriend when she witnessed William Chapman enter the tiger enclosure. She has now described the events leading up to the 23-year-old's death. She recalls members of the public desperately scrambled to get help as the tiger launched its attack. She said one man tried to scare the animal away by banging on the fence, but the tiger appeared unfazed and "took no notice". Keepers managed to frighten away Altai, the tiger, by firing gas-powered acoustic guns into the air, causing him to retreat to a nearby shelter. Recap of statement from William Chapman's family The family of William Chapman released a statement yesterday evening through South Yorkshire Police. They said: "William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved - and William loved them back. "Sadly, William suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication. "It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death. We would ask everybody to respect that process. "The family are utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. "The publication and circulation of deeply offensive media content is causing them severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time. We ask people to stop doing this. "The family are hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their utmost to get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did. "In the meantime, please do not approach the family, their addresses, or scrape any further social media from William’s or his family’s accounts." Inside William Chapman's child acting career The man who was killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park was a former child actor. William Chapman, 23, starred in the ITV production May Contain Nuts alongside Shirley Henderson, best known for playing Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films. He also played a young Edward Jenner in the BBC series True Stories. An old blog post written by William's mum offers a glimpse into his life years before the fatal attack. Published just over 12 years ago, the post described William as "passionate about acting and drama" having attended a performing arts school in High Wycombe since the age of four. The Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe posted a tribute on its Facebook page. The post reads: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our former student, William Chapman. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with William’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. "We loved watching William grow, both as a person and as a performer, during his time with us. It was a privilege to be part of his journey, and he will be remembered with great fondness by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. "William will be truly missed, and he will always hold a special place in our hearts. Rest in peace, William." Inquest into William Chapman's death to open tomorrow An inquest into the death of 23-year-old William Chapman will open at Doncaster Coroner's Court at 10am tomorrow. Mr Chapman died on Saturday after being fatally attacked by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm after Mr Chapman, who police said was visiting the park alone, entered the animal's enclosure. He was pronounced dead at the scene. City of Doncaster Council, which is responsible for licensing the park, said on Monday that it had launched a health and safety investigation. New photo of William Chapman released Unclear when Yorkshire Wildlife Park will reopen Yorkshire Wildlife Park remained closed today for a fifth day following the attack on Saturday. The park has not yet confirmed when it will reopen. It previously said members of staff were "deeply affected" by the incident and were receiving specialist support. South Yorkshire mayor condemns Trump's 'cheap laugh' AI video as Chapman experiences 'suffering' South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has condemned Donald Trump's actions, saying the Chapman family had contacted his office. In a statement, Mr Coppard said: "They spoke to my office yesterday, sharing the pain and suffering it’s causing them knowing that videos and pictures of his death are being shared across social media. "The president of the United States now using AI to mock that incident and the pain felt by the family of Mr Chapman, for little more than a cheap laugh on social media, should be greeted with the contempt it deserves. "So I’m asking you, please, not to add to this family’s pain. If someone shares the content with you, please don’t pass it on." The mayor said: "What happened at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday was tragic, not least because it’s a place so many people associate with a family day out." He said: "The family of Mr Chapman remain utmost in my thoughts. I know all decent people across South Yorkshire will be sending them their love, thoughts and empathy.” Downing Street says people should respect the family's position Downing Street has said people should respect the views of William Chapman's family but would not directly comment on Donald Trump posting the videos online. The Prime Minister's official spokesperson said: "I think obviously the family have made their position clear. Of course, we respect that position." But he added: "I’m not going to comment on the president’s social media channels, he’s got a press secretary who can speak to that." Chapman family say 'deeply offensive media content is causing them severe distress' The family of William Chapman said "deeply offensive media content is causing them severe distress" yesterday evening after US President Donald Trump reposted a widely shared video of the incident. The 23-year-old’s family posted a tribute, also on Tuesday evening, describing him as a "bright, warm and engaging young man". They also criticised the online reaction to his death and raised questions about the role his "significant mental illness over a number of years" and prescribed strong medication may have played in the incident. Carole Malone slams Trump over 'offensive' AI tiger video: 'You don't joke about young men dying' Carole Malone has slammed Donald Trump for posting an AI-generated video showing him chasing a tiger and then taming and hugging it. The columnist and commentator said the video was "far more offensive" than his previous post on X about the incident, which featured footage of William Chapman's last moments. "It's just not funny. You shouldn't be doing that. The guy's got no filter. You don't joke about young men dying at the hands of tigers," she said on Jeremy Vine on 5. Vine had earlier remarked: "It sort of makes you want to cry, doesn't it?" Everything we know about insensitive Trump videos mocking zoo attack - At 8.54pm UK time last night, US president Donald Trump posted footage of William Chapman being attacked by one of the Amur tigers at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday. The footage, which the Mirror has chosen not to share, was posted on Trump's Truth Social platform, where he has 13 million followers. - The video was captioned "Don't ever mess with nature!". The callous remark was made as Mr Chapman's family also made an official statement last night saying their son suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication. - Just a minute later, the president posted a compilation video featuring AI-generated clips of people being mauled by lions and tigers, with an upbeat tune playing in the background. - At 4.17am UK time today, Trump mocked the incident further as he posted an AI-generated video of him fighting and then taming a tiger. The clip appears to mimic the one of Mr Chapman's last moments, with the president copying the pointing gesture made by the 24-year-old in the original footage. - The insensitive clip ends with Trump hugging the tiger, with both smiling from ear to ear. Throughout the video, the famous The Lion Sleeps Tonight song by The Tokens is heard playing in the background. - Trump's posts have generated strong criticism, with people labelling him "unfit for office", "demented" and "mentally unwell". Piers Morgan has also called for Trump to delete the AI video of him and the tiger, describing the footage as "appallingly tasteless". - Downing Street said people should respect the views of Mr Chapman’s family but would not directly comment on Donald Trump posting the videos online. - In their statement last night, Mr Chapman's family called for people to stop sharing footage of their son's last moments in the tiger enclosure, saying the "depply offensive media content is causing them severe distress". Police preparing file for coroner In its latest media note, South Yorkshire Police confirmed officers are now preparing a file for the coroner. An inquest is due to be opened in Doncaster tomorrow morning, with only basic details like William Chapman's name, age and provisional cause of death due to be announced during the short public hearing, which will be adjourned for a later date to allow for the completion of all other inquiries. The force added that officers continue to support Mr Chapman's family. The statement read: "Officers have been in contact with William’s family who have asked for privacy at what is an incredibly difficult time for them. We are continuing to support them." It added: "Doncaster City Council have an ongoing health and safety investigation following Saturday’s incident. "South Yorkshire Police will not be providing further comment in relation to this tragic incident." 'If they really want to get in, they're going to find a way' Dr Campbell Murn, a lecturer in Conservation Science at the University of Reading, explained that despite UK zoos having to follow set regulations for enclosure designs, incidents like the one on Saturday cannot be eliminated. The expert, who is also a former member of the government's expert committee for zoos, said: "There’s an enormous amount of effort that goes into the securing of public safety for people who are visiting zoos, in addition to the weight that's given to animal welfare in those settings as well. "So it's certainly something that is a very big and integral part of the zoo standards in this country." Dr Murn added that staff at zoos which house dangerous wild animals are trained in emergency responses, explaining that he does not believe the incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park was a result of a safety failure. Rather, he believes "it was not possible to get there before the visitor was injured and subsequently died". The expert said sophisticated enclosures that make it more difficult for unauthorised people to enter them "would minimise or reduce the risk, but it's never going to truly eliminate it". He said: "Even the most elaborate enclosure, if they really want to get in, they’re going to find a way". Final hours of tiger attack victim shown in pictures Just hours before he was going to be fatally attacked, William Chapman posted a series of pictures on his now-deleted public Instagram profile. These included a gym selfie in which Mr Chapman appears to be wearing the same clothes he wore when he entered the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday. Another picture, in which he wears the same clothes, is taken inside a flat and shows him sitting on a kitchen worktop while holding a crossbow on his lap and a bible in his right hand. He also has a crossbow bolt between his teeth. The crossbow, matched by the Mirror with an entry-level model retailing for around £100, has been described as "moderately powerful" by a reviewer. The same picture also shows some red tape stuck on the cupboard on top of which Mr Chapman is sitting, stating "150lbs recurve crossbow". An Ancient Greek helmet and a "grandson" happy birthday card can also be seen in the same photo. Another selfie recently posted by Mr Chapman shows him wearing a blue pair of swimming trunks. The first picture he posted on October 10 - the day of the attack - is of a can of Jack Daniels mixed with Coca Cola, with a corner shop in the background. 'Delete it, President Trump' As criticism towards Trump grows following his callous Truth Social posts mocking the incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, the latest to condemn the US president is Piers Morgan. Responding to a post on X displaying the AI video of Trump fighting and then taming a tiger, he said: "This is appallingly tasteless. Delete it, President Trump." Trump has also posted AI videos of people getting mauled by lions and tigers overnight, after he shared actual footage of William Chapman's last moments in the tiger enclosure. 'Trump turned horrific death into grotesque social media spectacle' Trump's "Don't ever mess with nature!" caption on the post in which he shared footage of William Chapman's last moments exposes "the breathtaking cruelty, staggering lack of judgment, and utter moral bankruptcy of the man occupying the White House", the Mirror's Christopher Bucktin writes. Despite America's more pressing issues, such as its war with Iran and fuel prices soaring, the president found time in his busy schedule to also share an AI-generated video mocking the attack in which Mr Chapman, who suffered from significant mental illness, lost his life on Saturday. Read more on Christopher Bucktin's opinion of Trump's insensitive posts here. Tiger attack victim's family hit out at 'offensive' videos Donald Trump has been slammed by William Chapman's family after he caused outrage by posting harrowing footage of the young man about to be fatally mauled by a tiger. The US President shared the brief clip on his Truth Social platform, writing: "Don't ever mess with nature!" as the huge animal is seen lurching towards its victim. The Mirror and other publications have not shared the video due to its insensitive nature, but Mr Trump has blithely used it as fodder for his 13 million followers. It depicts the animal biting and clawing Mr Chapman, as he sat within the enclosure, at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster. Today, his mourning family have been forced to make heartbreaking plea following his death, begging people to shop sharing the "deeply offensive" content - and hit out the the President. Read more here Coroner to open inquest tomorrow A coroner is due to open an inquest into William Chapman's death tomorrow morning. The short hearing, which will only last a few minutes, is scheduled for 10am at Doncaster Coroner's Court. According to the inquests list on the City of Doncaster Council website, Mr Chapman's full name was William Harry Bruce Chapman and he was 24 years old. The proceedings tomorrow morning will only hear the most basic of details, such as the name, date of birth and age of the deceased, their address, date and place of death, and provisional cause of death. The hearing will then be adjourned by the coroner until a later date and will resume once all other investigations have been completed. Trump labelled 'demented', 'unfit for office' and 'disgraceful' after tiger video The AI-generated video depicting Trump fighting a tiger has generated strong reaction, with people saying he is "unfit for office" and "mentally disturbed". The clip, which was posted on Trump's Truth Social account a few hours ago, shows him wrestling a tiger and taming it, with The Lion Sleeps Tonight playing in the background. One X user reacting to the video, which was posted at 4.17am UK time, said: "Trump actually posted this AI video of him with a tiger in the middle of the night. This man is demented and mentally unwell." Another commented: "Trump is very sick and unfit for the office of POTUS. The family of said man have now revealed he suffered significant mental illness and they are distressed by social media posts mocking the tragedy and their loss. For POTUS to post this is DISGRACEFUL!!!" In a statement released last night, victim William Chapman's family said he suffered from significant mental illness "over a number of years" and was prescribed strong medication. Another person wrote on X: "That is utterly disgraceful for anyone to do. For the president of the US to do it, while the family is still grieving, is a clear sign that he is totally unfit for the job." One other said: "Musing on the level of ice-cold narcissism that it must take to watch a man being savaged by a tiger and think, 'But what if it was me, and I was stronger than it, and it liked me?'." Another user simply said: "Trump is mentally disturbed." Another challenged the president: "Is Trump saying if he jumped into the tiger enclosure he would have survived? Only one way to find out, Donald. Don't be a chicken." One person questioned if Trump might have more important matters to focus on: "I had always assumed that national leaders would focus their energy on more important matters." Donald Trump posts insensitive AI video of him wrestling and hugging tiger Last night, Donald Trump posted footage showing William Chapman in the moments before he was mauled to death by the tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, with the animal seen pawing the helpless young man. Mr Chapman's family, also last night, pleaded for the "deeply offensive media content" not to be shared anymore. The brief clip shared on Trump's Truth Social platform was captioned: "Don't ever mess with nature!" The Mirror - and other publications - have not shared the video due to the nature of it. But at around 4.15am UK time today, the US president posted yet another insensitive clip, this time an AI-generated video which depicts him wrestling a tiger. Dressed up in a suit, Trump runs after the tiger and tackles the animal, rolling over with it twice. The president then grabs the tiger and both smile from ear to ear. The famous The Lion Sleeps Tonight song by The Tokens plays in the background throughout the video. Wildlife park still closed Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed today for the fifth day. A message on the attraction's website states that the park is "working closely with the authorities". The Yorkshire Hive, which offers shopping, dining, a hotel and entertainment options like mini golf, remains open. Family's tribute for 'amazing son' In a statement, the family of William Chapman said: "William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved – and William loved them back. "Sadly, William suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication. "It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death. "We would ask everybody to respect that process. "The family are utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened." The family has also called for "deeply offensive media content", which the Mirror hasn't shared, to stop being circulated. "The family are hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their upmost to get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did," the statement added.