July 14, 2026, 1:53 p.mJuly 14, 2026, 1:53 p.m
The man died around two months after a tiger attacked a keeper in a private animal farm near Leipzig. The 72-year-old died from his serious injuries, the public prosecutor announced. An investigation is now underway on suspicion of negligent homicide by omission.
In mid-May, an adult male tiger escaped from a former circus artist’s private enclosure in an industrial area in Dölzig near Autobahn 9. The artist’s 72-year-old helper was seriously injured. As the public prosecutor’s office has now announced, the man died from his serious injuries on July 10th. The police shot the big cat just a few meters away from an allotment garden.
Outbreak with consequences: The tiger seriously injured a helper and was shot. (symbol image)Image: AP
Six animals were brought to Spain
Eight other big cats lived in the complex. After weeks of discussions, six animals have now been taken to a rescue center in Spain because, according to the North Saxony district office, the area is too small for the number of tigers.
After the escape and attack, the adult tiger came close to an adjacent allotment. To protect the people there, police officers shot the animal.
The former tamer and owner of the facility had no explanation as to how the outbreak could have occurred. «I didn’t do anything wrong. My helpers are 100 percent instructed. “I don’t understand what happened here,” she said. She was not there when the incident occurred. (sda/dpa)