Lion Kills Teen in Front of Zoo Visitors

A 19-year-old man was killed after climbing into a lioness' enclosure at a Brazilian zoo on Sunday, in plain view of zoo visitors. Authorities in Joao Pessoa, a coastal city in the country's northeast, said the teenager climbed a 20-foot wall, got past security barriers, and slid down a tree into the habitat at the Arruda Camara Zoobotanical Park, CBS News reports. The teen, identified as Gerson de Melo Machado, "deliberately invaded the lioness's enclosure," officials said, describing the incident as both "rapid and surprising." Visitors watched in shock as the lioness, Leona, quickly approached Machado and pulled him from the tree.

A disturbing video posted on X shows that Machado tried to get away from the lion before vanishing from sight, with onlookers heard exclaiming: "It got him. It got him," NBC News reports. Machado died of injuries inflicted by the lioness, according to a government statement. The statement said "the man's actions may have been a possible suicide attempt." The zoo, which closed for investigations, expressed sadness and emphasized its compliance with safety standards. Officials said there are more than 26 feet of protection around the lion enclosure and described the incident as "completely unforeseeable."

A child protection counselor said Machado, who came from a troubled family background marked by mental illness, had long needed treatment and had been "through all the institutional care in this city." She said he once tried to stow away on a plane to Africa and had dreamed of being a lion tamer. In a post on Instagram, the zoo said it was not considering euthanizing the lioness. "Leona is healthy, does not exhibit aggressive behavior outside the context of the incident, and will not be euthanized," the zoo said. The zoo said Leona is being continuously monitored because "she experienced a high level of stress."