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Murder scene (courtesy cnn.com)

So a Chilean man named Franco Luis Ferrara decided to commit suicide-by-lion. He stripped naked and somehow managed to enter the lions’ zoo enclosure. Not getting the desired response, Ferrara began “taunting” the big cats. Who did what big cats (and small cats would if they could) do: they got off their fat lazy you-know-whats and mauled him. Zookeepers rushed to the scene. And what did they do? They did what politically correct zookeepers do: they turned a water hose on the beasts. ‘Cause everyone knows cats hate water, right? Anyway, no joy (save maybe for the lions who probably appreciate a well-washed human limb or four). At that point, the keepers got out the big guns. As our firearms-averse friends at huffingtonpost.com report, that didn’t go so well, at least at first . . .

They then fired a tranquilizer dart, but it missed the lions and instead struck the man, identified by local media as 20-year-old Franco Luis Ferrada, in the neck.

As Ferrada was being mauled, a zookeeper shot the lions with live rounds. They died a short time later. Ferrada was rushed to a local health clinic, where he was in critical condition.

Santiago police said he left what’s believed to be a suicide note. “We are comparing it with other [writing samples],” said sub-commissioner Gerson Sepulveda.

Critics took to social media to complain about the handling of the incident, with many condemning the zoo for killing the lions.

But zoo director Alejandra Montalva defended her staff’s actions, saying they’d followed the “established protocol” to deal with such circumstances.

“When a person’s life is at risk, you have to sacrifice the animals,” she said. “The shooter decided to save the life of the person and unfortunately we had to sacrifice two members of our family.”

A vigil was held for the dead lions, which had been residents at the zoo for more than 20 years, near their enclosure on Saturday night.

As you can imagine, there are plenty of animal rights activists — as in all of them — who would have preferred it if the zookeepers had let the “innocent” lions feast on Mr.  Ferrara. Which puts them in the same camp as devotees of snuff flicks, strangely enough. Just sayin’.

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58 COMMENTS

  1. So two lions are dead because some asshat wanted out of life? Why not let him get his wish. Fucking asshat.

    • Agreed. It’s not like the guy accidentally fell in, he intentionally entered their cage with the mission of dying via lion. I am hoping the zoo keepers did not know his intentions at the time.

    • Though I hate to see two animals killed for doing what their biology has them programmed to do, the lions probably had to be put down.

      After having attacked the man (and lets say they just let them have an early supper) those lions could be more inclined to attack a zookeeper in the future after having gotten a taste for human prey.

      But overall it is extremely sad to see this suicidal loser cause the deaths of two animals for the sake of his selfish desires.

    • Once the intruder is fully recovered, slather him with bacon grease and throw him into the Tiger cage. Cats are cats after all.

    • Yep, a mentally ill person is more valuable than two animals.

      Placing humans at the same plane with animals is another sick idea of the Left.

  2. News from Chile on TTAG! Never thought I’d see the day…. Proud to be Chilean, we’ve made the international scene now!

    • Chile is a beautiful country. Don’t worry, it’s been internationally known for quite a while. EDINA, Pinochet, Black Ford Falcons…

  3. I guess they don’t have the Castle Doctrine in Chile. Definitely should have just shot the guy (with the live rounds too) instead.

    • -What should have happened. (only half joking)

      Quick! We have to kill the lions to save the suicidal man. *Blam* Missed. *Blam* Missed again. *Blam* Oops, I hit the guy in the head instead. Well, he is already dead. No point in killing the lions now. Just try again with the darts and just wait for them to take effect. Then we will recover what’s left of the body. *wink*wink*

  4. Yet another case for having personal firearms – he could have committed his suicide, quietly in his home, and the lions would have been alive and well.

      • Oh, definitely de-regulate suppressors, I’ve heard they are actually legal is some countries with otherwise restrictive gun laws.

        • The UK, as one example.

          Suppressors here are classed as weapons in their own right, and licensed accordingly, but their use is actively encouraged by Police departments as beneficial to hearing safety, noise pollution levels, and practical purposes such as hunting.

          It’s one of the very few areas where our firearms laws are more sensible than yours.

    • Didn’t even think of this. Yet again, the unintended consequences of bad anti gun policy on display.

  5. Boy What is it field Story Exclamation point The cats In this case we’re doing exactly what Big cats to small cats included. I am an animal lover have to domestic house cats And I also hunt and fish. So I’m not one of those crazy animal rights activist. I’m just an ordinary citizen here in the United States of America who believes That this was ridiculous. They should have shot the idiot that was in the enclosure. Instead they kill two cats doing exactly what big cats do They eat they sleep they go to the bathroom and make little cats End of story. Someone should have done something prior To him stripping buck-ass naked and jumping into a lion enclosure. He got exactly what he deserved unfortunately the cat’s got what they did not deserve which was executed because of this moron!

  6. First of all I’d like to State the fact that I am not an animal rights activist in any way I do believe in proper care for animals and I am a hunter And a fisherman And a conservationist. However This mental midget strips down buck naked and goes into a lion enclosure to commit suicide, why in the hell would they shoot the lions that are doing exactly what Lions do when approached Buy a human being or a walking piece of meat as they see it. They would have done much better by shooting the individual or keeping him from getting into the enclosure to begin with Killing the Lions was the most stupid thing they could have done.This is what’s wrong with the world You’ve got people caring about human life More Than animal life When the human in this case was the culprit And the Intruder on thereLiving quarters of the Lions. The lions were not at fault the human being was so why were the Lions killed? This is ridiculous It wasn’t like a trainer Got caught in the lion Enclosure and needed help To save him or his life It was a total Suicide attempt by this Nut Job who should have been left for lion food Exclamation point

  7. Should have let the big guys have a nice tasty lunch.

    Idiots. You voluntarily jump in a lion cage/pit, you get what you deserve.

    If someone fell in by accident, I’d be all for shooting the cats, but thats an entirely different situation.

    Don

  8. “When a person’s life is at risk, you have to sacrifice the animals,” she said. “The shooter decided to save the life of the person and unfortunately we had to sacrifice two members of our family.”

    When a person’s life is at risk, sure…but when that person knowingly and purposefully puts their own life at risk?…well, that’s just a meal supplement.

    Seriously, if ever there was a case to be made for having legal and social support for elective suicide, this story makes that case. I’d rather have this guy check himself into the Bye-Bye Clinic, than jump into a lion pit in front of my kids.

  9. Lions are very expensive animals to upkeep and take care of and to purchase. They should have killed the fella climbing into the cage end of story.This is not a defensive gun use of the day. This is a Slaughter of two lions that were acting as lions do. They should have used the bullets and the rifles on the mental midget climbing into the cage.

  10. That is very sad. I appreciate that they saved the guys life. Or tried to.

    What a pathetic waste. I want him to live, and I want him to live with the knowledge that he completely screwed over two other living things. Here’s hoping he’ll make a better work of it from now on.

  11. This is one of those awful stories that undermines the dubious axiom that all human lives are equal and priceless. Maybe suicidal guy turns his life around and goes on to invent the cure for cancer, but somehow I doubt it. The dude will probably get better in the hospital then later off himself successfully leaving someone else stuck with the bill.

  12. I’m not angry at the zookeepers, who did what they thought they had to do.

    I am angry at the moron who wanted to die but didn’t have the balls to do himself in, so he ended up taking two great animals with him.

    They moron may not have had a firearm at his disposal, but aren’t there some tall buildings in Chile? Any buses? Any cliffs? Any Tylenol and whiskey?

    • Bridges and Cliffs, or how about multiple ways with an Automobile. maybe the best? Automobiles and a hose ………Auto in a garage…..
      or?????????

      If the A-wipe lives, should let him live out his days in that lion display, as an exhibit of
      stupidity.

  13. Of all the ways to off yourself, I’m having trouble seeing a method that is more difficult to initiate, or more torturous to execute.

    • This man must have really not liked himself.

      And I say that not as a joke, but with empathy for him and sympathy for anyone who was close to him.

      Also it was bullshit to kill the cats for doing cat things.

  14. When forced to choose between a human’s life and an animal’s life, I favor the human. If you are jogging and are attacked by a vicious dog whose a-hole owner let it run loose, I have no problem with your killing the dog. If you are hiking in Africa and a lion decides you would make a tasty lunch, I have no problem with your shooting it. “If you leave me alone, kitty, I’ll leave you alone.” But, at some point, there comes a limit.

    If you are trespassing on someone’s fenced property and his watchdog starts chewing on you, I figure it’s your fault, not the dog’s, and you have no right to save yourself at the dog’s expense. Zoos keep dangerous animals behind a fence so that they have no access to the visitors. It takes real effort to get into their cage. The would be suicide circumvented every measure the zookeepers took for his protection and deliberately provoked the lions to attack him. I understand the zookeepers’ situation but, in this case, I would have not have sacrificed the lions to save him. Give him a Darwin Award and move on.

  15. Ever since Cecil lions have been jumpy and tend to lash out first and ask questions afterwards. It’s a deadly spiral.

    #lionslivesandfeelingsmatter.

  16. I just think it’s funny that they wound up tranquilizer-darting the guy instead. Maybe they should’ve just left it that — might have been the best possible outcome.

    • What a terrible waste of two beautiful animals. The man should never have put the lions in that position. He should have jumped off a building or a bridge instead of going to the zoo. I can understand putting the lions down if the zoo officials thought they’d become more dangerous after tasting human blood.

      • That argument is bullshit.

        I’m a mammal and I am pretty sure that I didn’t get double extra chicken crazy once I had the taste of chicken in me.

    • I’d like to know what made them think their aim would get better with the real guns. I’d say this would be better as an IGOTD for whoever made the decision to switch to live ammo after missing the lions and hitting the intruder.

  17. When suicides go wrong.

    Loving the bit about the neck shot though……just saying….that released a little chuckle.
    The lions? F n sad they were put down.
    He should of just picked a fight with a soccer team to get his wish. Although he wouldn’t have gotten a dart in the neck. Like Ace Ventura.

  18. Yet another reason not to pen up what are normally free ranging animals into small areas so tourists can gawk at them?

  19. Fortunately, they put those two Assault Lions down. They do not act like wild Lions, but they look like wild Lions. Therefore, putting these Lions down was the right thing to do. I mean if it just saves one life…

  20. Ok, when I read the article I was totally on board with everything most of y’all are saying… but then I read what Rammerjammer had to say:

    “Though I hate to see two animals killed for doing what their biology has them programmed to do, the lions probably had to be put down.

    After having attacked the man (and lets say they just let them have an early supper) those lions could be more inclined to attack a zookeeper in the future after having gotten a taste for human prey.”

    I have to agree with him… her? Wait. RJ, are you a chick or a dude? Not that it matters, your point still stands… with me at least.

    • Is there any rational proof that that happens, or is that simply an old wives tale?

      I personally find it hard to believe, but it is a popular notion.

      • Dag-nabbit JR, now you have me reconsidering my reconsideration! I too would like to know the truth behind this potential OWT now… but I’m far too lazy to do the legwork.

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