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Reported 21st May 2016 - A man who climbed into a lion enclosure, stripped totally naked and then taunted the massive animals into attacking him was shot with a tranquiliser dart by zookeepers trying to save him from a near-fatal mauling. Visitors to Santiago’s Metropolitan Zoo in Chile watched with amazement as staff eventually shot and killed two of the lions with live ammunition rounds. The man had been carrying what appeared to be a suicide note, authorities said. The drama began on Saturday morning when Franco Luis Ferrada, 20, climbed atop the roof of the lion pen, then forced his way into the cage. According to witnesses the lions initially ignored the intrusion but attacked after Ferrada taunted them.

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Franco Luis Ferrada

Zookeepers responded at first by turning a hose on the animals, then by firing a tranquiliser dart – but hit the man in the neck instead of the lions. As the lions set upon the man, a zookeeper opened fire with live rounds. The two beloved animals died in front of a horrified and massive holiday crowd that had gathered to witness the bizarre scenes. Ferrada was taken in critical condition to a local health clinic with injuries to his pelvis and head, as well as a massive dose of tranquiliser. Gerson Sepúlveda, subcommisioner of the investigative police’s crime division, confirmed that one of the darts hit the young man and said that Ferrada had left a written message thought to be a suicide note. “We are comparing it with other [writing samples],” said Sepúlveda, who stated that police were also looking at videotapes, still photos and the firearms involved.

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METRO NEWS ONLINE Vote results - Should the lions have been shot? No, it's a shame the lions had to be killed 90%

 

Yes, the public need to be protected 10%

 

Alejandra Montalva, the zoo director, defended the actions of staff. “The alarms sounded and chemical control arrived [tranquiliser darts] and an independent shooter arrived. The shooter decided to save the life of the person and unfortunately we had to sacrifice two members of our family,” she said. “The zoo has an established protocol because people’s lives are very important to us,” said Montalba, adding she was “deeply affected” by the deaths of the two lions, a male and a female. Chilean social media exploded with a firestorm of criticism against zoo authorities: reactions ranged from calls to boycott all zoos, to questions about the use of deadly force. Others commented on the treatment of people with mental health problems like the young man involved. Dozens of people arrived at the zoo on Saturday night to hold a candlelight vigil for the dead lions. Meanwhile doctors at the nearby clinic were cautiously optimistic that Ferrada would survive but said the next 24 hours would be key.

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Chilean police investigating the attempted suicide at Santiago Metropolitan Zoo.Chile PDI

Franco Luis Ferrada Roman was a former soldier and was suffering from a form of mental illness that made him attempt to kill himself. His mother died unexpectently from breast cancer when he was just 11 years old, things became much worse when he was abandoned in an orphanage after his alcoholic father refused to take care of him or his brothers and sisters. When the troubled young man took his clothes off he left a scribbled note in his trouser pocket explaining his actions. The former soldier explained that he was a prophet sent from God and declared that the end of the world was nigh. ‘The apocalypse has arrived, and I will know when it shall come,' he wrote. ‘I am the prophet and I have returned for my people.'The soldier received significant injuries including his face, skull, neck, shoulders and groin and was being cared for at the local hospital in Santiego. 

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It is unclear whether he was trying to end his life, although witnesses at the zoo spoke of how he recounted to them the biblical hero, Daniel, who was thrown to the lions but saved by an angel sent by God. Two strange drawings of lions were also found in Mr Ferrada’s wallet by paramedics as he was rescued from the Lion cage. Mr Ferrada was put into care - and ‘never forgave his alcoholic father for abandoning him’, according to friends. It is said his father was driven to drink by the loss of his wife. ‘Franco appeared to be a very happy young man on the outside,' said a shopkeeper in the Puente Alto district of Santiago, where the Ferrada Roman family live. ‘His actions at the zoo surprised us all, but his family is very troublesome.'

Santiago Hospital Clinica Indisa

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King Darius was ruler over Babylon and had an appointment with several men to help him govern and lead. Daniel, the leader of advisers, was a man who believed in God and followed the Lord's commands. The other men did not like Daniel and did not want him in charge so they devised a way to get rid of Daniel. These men knew that Daniel served the God of Israel. They told King Darius to make a new law in which people could worship and pray to only the king and if they worshipped or prayed to other gods, they would be thrown into the den of lion's. The starving lion would eat and kill the lawbreaker.

Daniel understood the new law but committed in his heart to remain steadfast in his prayer and praise to the Lord. Daniel prayed three times a day with his windows open. When the men saw Daniel and brought accusations against him to King Darius, the king was devastated because he favoured Daniel. The king knew he could not change the law and Daniel was thrown into the lion's den. 

The next day, as soon as the sun came up King Darius got up and ran to the lions' den.  As he got closer he shouted, "Daniel, has your God who you serve and pray to rescued you from the lions?"  The king waited quietly for a response.

Then all of a sudden Daniel said, "O king, live forever!  My God sent an angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.  They have not hurt me because I have done nothing wrong."

The king jumped with joy and immediately ordered that Daniel be removed from the den.  And when Daniel was lifted from the den, there wasn't even a scratch on him because he trusted in God.

The king knew that the men had tricked him into punishing Daniel so he punished them. After that the king made a new law and he said, "Daniel's God is great, and I order that everyone in my kingdom must respect the Lord God, who rescued Daniel from the hungry lions."

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At the age of 18 Franco Ferrada Román entered military service in Coyhaique
 

‘They are notorious in Puente Alto for being very raucous and often drunk,' said Mr Castellano, who comes into contact often with the Ferrada family. Today, Mr Ferrada, who is listed on Facebook as having worked at Burger Kind in Santiago, Chile, has no relationship with his father, and joined the army following his discharge from the state orphanage system in order to escape his mental demons, according to many who knew him in his home town of Puente Alto. Currently recovering in the Santiago hospital Clinica Indisa, with wounds to his face, skull, neck, shoulders and groin, Mr Ferrada is one of nine children. In 2006, following the death of their mother, Ruth Aurora del Carmen Roman Villegas, all nine children were taken into Chile’s SENAME state care system when their father refused to care for them.

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The day Franco woke up at the clinic, they had to tie him up securely so that he couldnt get up. And when his brothers asked him why he had entered the lion cage at the zoo, he simply said he was sorry. His father, José Luis, who goes to visit him with Ruth every day at the clinic, finds no explanation for what his son did, but denies that it has anything to do with a psychiatric picture. He eventually confessed to us that he started to be afraid when the lions started attacking him, that he felt he was going to die and that he thought of my mom. Franco says it was then that he regained consciousness. But before, in front of the cage he only felt anguish and voices in his ear that did not leave him alone. 'Get in,' they called him. 'You have to go in,'" Ruth says.

Mr Ferrada’s older brother Jose Luis Ferrada is serving a jail sentence for alcohol-related crimes, while his other siblings live in the impoverished Puente Alto district, an area known for its high crime rates. He left the state care system at 18 to join the army, where he served in the base at Coyhaique for 18 months, in the Chilean state of Aysen. ‘He was a very happy boy,' said his military colleague Gonzalo Molina, ‘It’s so strange for me to find out he had psychological problems.' Following his discharge from the army in 2014, Mr Ferrada was living in the centre of Santiago with other young friends, and working in a warehouse for a Chinese business. His grandmother Nolbertina Muñoz told the Chilean media. ‘The death of his mother was very difficult for Franco. After that he was always very concerned with taking care of his brothers and sisters.' But she added: ‘He visited me last weekend. He seemed happy and told me he was very content.'

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Despite his friends and family being unaware of his mental suffering, the cracks in Franco’s psyche began to show. On Mother’s Day he wrote an emotive message on Facebook lamenting his loss. ‘Mummy, it’s been nine years since you left for the arms of the Lord,' he wrote. ‘I always remember the sacrifice you made for my siblings and me. How I would love to have you here, to hug you and kiss you and feel your protecting warmth, just as when I was born.'

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In the following days he wrote a shorter, cryptic message - saying: ‘Only I can write my life.'  And three days before throwing himself naked to the lions in which two of the beasts mauling him were shot dead, he wrote: 'I'm here to give you love.' Santiago Zoo is now considering legal action again against Mr Ferrada, accusing him of trespass for climbing into the lions' enclosure. Zoo director Alejandra Montalva said: 'He trespassed into an area where the public are not normally allowed and we understand that he forced the roof of the lion's enclosure. 'It was from there that he jumped, took off his clothes and started to attract the lions.' She said she was 'deeply affected' by the deaths of the two lions, a male and a female. 'The zoo has an established protocol because people's lives are very important to us,' said Montalba.

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She added that there were no fast-acting tranquilizers available to stop the lions from mauling the man. One witness, Cynthia Vasquez, said zoo security guards were slow to react and that the animals did not attack the man as soon as he entered the enclosure.'He entered the enclosure from above and the lions started to play with him, and then after they attacked him,' she said. She added security 'first they threw water, evacuated the people and only later fired shots'.  She also said the man was 'shouting things about Jesus'. A father who was at the park with his young son, told news channel Chilevision: 'Everyone started screaming when they saw him.'

The entrances to the lion enclosures were closed off after the attack

Another witness added: 'There were a lot of children there, and parents covered their eyes while it was going on. He was screaming religious things.' The news channel said a suicide note that was found inside his clothes made allusions to the apocalypse as being a reason for his attempt to take his life. By Saturday evening, Mr Ferrada was said to no longer be in a life-threatening condition. Dr Sebastian Ugarde of Indisa Clinic said his heart almost stopped. He added: 'He suffered several injuries and trauma to the head and the pelvic area. We have high hopes that he will recover and that will be fine.'

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