Ohio prosecutor reviewing Cincinnati Zoo case
CINCINNATI – An Ohio prosecutor plans to announce next week whether to pursue charges against parents of a 3-year-old boy who got into the Cincinnati Zoo’s gorilla exhibit, leading to the fatal shooting of an endangered gorilla to protect the child.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters’ (DEE’-turz) office said Thursday he is reviewing the Cincinnati police investigation of the family’s actions in last Saturday’s incident.
Deters said he’ll announce a decision on charges Monday.
Legal experts have said that prosecution seems unlikely. The family has declined comment.
The zoo plans to reopen Gorilla World on June 7 with a higher, reinforced barrier. The boy apparently climbed over the outer barrier before falling some 15 feet into a shallow moat. A special response team shot the 17-year-old western lowland gorilla to protect the boy.
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This story has been corrected to show that prosecutor will announce decision on whether to pursue charges against parents on Monday, not as early as Friday.
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