Horrified spectators rushed out of a circus tent when a tiger attacked and killed his trainer during a performance in Mexico, a video uploaded to YouTube on Sunday shows.
During a Saturday show in the Mexican state of Sonora, trainer Alexander Crispín, 35, had just begun to circle two tigers during his act for Circo Suárez when one of the animals lunged towards him, causing fatal injuries, Notimex reports.
According to the Mexican news wire agency, Crispín was an American trainer who worked for Circo Suárez as a tiger tamer when the incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. In the circus ring, the trainer suffered neck injuries from the animal’s claws and bites before being transferred to a hospital in Huatabampo, where he died from severe blood loss.
Towards the end of the video, posted by YouTube user Shokoley, two other circus workers are seen hitting the tiger in an effort to release Crispín from the animal’s grip. On YouTube, some viewers have commented that the tiger was put down after the attack and many have reacted critically, writing that the root of the problem is caging these wild animals for profit.
Estos hijos de p*** sacrificaron al tigre después de lo sucedido. Nadie los manda a enjaular animales que nunca debieran ser encerrados. No a los circos, no a los zoologicos, no al sacrificio animal!!!!
“These sons of b****** sacrificed the tiger after what happened,” wrote YouTube user NikoFreskoOfficial. “No one made them cage these animals who should have never been locked up. No to circuses, no to zoos, no to the sacrificing of animals!!!!”
No official statements have been released regarding the tiger or the possible reasons for the attack.
Watch the video here.