Police open criminal investigation into gorilla killing

 

A criminal investigation has been opened into the killing of an endangered 17 year old gorilla called Harambe by zoo officials at a US zoo in Cincinnati after a four year old child fell into its enclosure. This is coming after public outcry over the indiscriminate killing of the mammal and the child
abandonment by his parents

Cincinnati police said the investigation will focus on the actions of the boy’s parents and family in the buildup to the incident in which the gorilla, was shot dead by zoo officials after he was seen to grab hold of the child.

The investigation is not into the conduct of Cincinnati Zoo or its safety procedures. 

Police said they were taking a second look at possible criminal charges against Michelle Gregg and Deonne Dickinson after initially saying no one had been charged.

Spokeswoman for the department, Tiffaney Hardy in an interview with CNN said "After the rewiew, we will determine if charges need to be brought forward

  "If it is determined charges need to be brought forward, we would then discuss it with the Hamilton County prosecutor's office."

Witnesses said the unnamed boy, who was with his mother at the time of the incident, had expressed a desire to get into the enclosure and climbed over the 3ft barrier, falling 15ft into the moat.
Animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation has filed a negligence complaint against the zoo with the US Department of Agriculture. 
The group, which is seeking the maximum penalty of $10,000, said in its complaint that the child’s ability to get past the barrier was proof the zoo was negligent and should be fined for a “clear and fatal violation of the Animal Welfare Act”.