**DATELINE: CINCINNATI, OHIO – May 28, 2016**
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**WHAT:** A fatal shooting of a 17-year-old Western lowland gorilla, known as Harambe, by personnel of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
**WHO:** The incident involved a four-year-old male child who entered the gorilla enclosure; the silverback gorilla, Harambe; and members of the Zoo’s Dangerous Animal Response Team.
**WHERE:** The Gorilla World habitat at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, located at 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
**WHEN:** The event occurred at approximately 4:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday, May 28, 2016.
**WHY:** According to official statements from Zoo Director Thane Maynard, the decision to use lethal force was made after the child fell approximately 15 feet into a moat within the enclosure. Witness accounts and video evidence indicate Harambe grabbed and dragged the child through the water for approximately ten minutes. Zoo officials assessed the situation as a "critical, life-threatening emergency," citing the gorilla's size and strength, which posed an imminent risk of severe injury or death to the child. The response team determined that a tranquilizer dart would not take effect quickly enough to prevent potential harm, leading to the deployment of a single rifle shot.
**INVESTIGATION AND AFTERMATH:** The child was transported to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for evaluation and was reported to be conscious and alert, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office subsequently reviewed the incident and declined to file charges against the Zoo, concluding that the actions of the response team were justified. The event sparked international debate regarding zoo safety protocols, animal rights, and parental responsibility, and has since become a prominent subject of internet culture and memes. The Zoo reopened the Gorilla World exhibit on