A man was arrested Monday for allegedly climbing into the tiger exhibit of a Massachusetts zoo.
The Worcester resident, who was identified as Matthew Abraham, 24, was reportedly caught climbing over a gate and attempting to gain access to the tiger exhibit, MassLive.com reported. (RELATED: Woman Jumps Into Lion Enclosure At Bronx Zoo, Throws $100 Bills And Confesses Love To Lion)
Man accused of trying to access Massachusetts zoo’s tiger enclosure speaks out https://t.co/90nQlgO5Qn
— KETV NewsWatch 7 (@KETV) February 22, 2022
Massachusetts state troopers responded to a report from Franklin Park Zoo around 9:00 a.m. that Abraham had attempted to trespass in the tiger exhibit. He did not make it into the tiger enclosure and was unharmed, according to the Boston Herald.
Boston EMS conducted an evaluation on Abraham and determined that he was mentally stable. State troopers then took Abraham into custody and booked him on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct, according to the outlet.
“I was there as a spectator of the zoo. I didn’t mean to harm anybody. I wasn’t looking to harm the tiger. I wasn’t looking to harm myself neither,” Abraham said, according to WCVB 5. “My plan was just to go see what is a tiger. How would a tiger react to a human being?”
Abraham claimed that he thought the zoo was open when he walked in, but admitted that he did not pay for admission, according to the outlet.
He said that the only time he scaled any fences was when security staff caught him, according to CBS Boston.
However, state police discovered during their investigation that Abraham had reportedly scaled multiple fences and ignored several warning signs which were posted in the area, according to NBC Boston.
A bail clerk released Abraham on a $40 bail, and he was ordered to appear in Dorchester District Court for arraignment. It will likely take place Tuesday, according to the Boston Herald.