Cincinnati Police released audio of the 911 call made by the mother whose son fell in the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo, leading to the death of 450-pound endangered silverback gorilla Harambe. Since the controversial incident, outraged people have attacked a woman mistaken for the boy's mother and created a petition, signed by over 450,000, calling for police to hold the boy's parents accountable for Harambe's eventual.
In the emergency call, the boy's mother, Michelle Gregg, is heard telling a 911 dispatcher: "Hi, my son fell in the zoo exhibit at the gorillas. The Cincinnati Zoo, my son fell in with the gorilla. There's a male gorilla standing over him. I need someone to contact the zoo, please."
Gregg was referring to Harambe, the 17-year-old endangered silverback.
While on the call with the dispatcher, Gregg is also heard telling her son who fell in the gorilla enclosure to "Be calm, be calm!"
"He's dragging my son. I can't watch this," Gregg says on the call shortly after.
In another released 911 call, FOX 19 NOWreports a zoogoer said: "There's a baby in the zoo at gorilla moat. Hurry, hurry, the gorillas are out. Oh, my God.
"And another caller told 911, "Hi, we're at the Cincinnati Zoo a baby fell in the gorilla cage and everyone is screaming."
The boy was eventually rescued after suffering a concussion and minor injuries. Harambe was shot dead by Cincinnati Zoo staff, a decision the zoo has stood by.
Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard said in a news conference Monday: "That child's life was in danger. People who question that don't understand you can't take a risk with a silverback gorilla—this is a dangerous animal," he said. "Looking back, we'd make the same decision. The child is safe."
The family has released a statement saying the boy is doing well:
