A Massachusetts man was arrested Monday after climbing into the tiger exhibit of the local zoo. Worcester resident Matthew Abraham, 24, was caught climbing over a gate in order to access the tiger exhibit.
Massachusetts state troopers responded to a call from Franklin Park Zoo around 9:00 a.m. about a man attempting to break into the tiger exhibit. Abraham was unsuccessful in his attempt to get into the tiger enclosure and was unharmed. Boston EMS evaluated Abraham and determined that he was mentally stable. State troopers arrested him and he was booked on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct.
“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. “My plan was just to go see what is a tiger. How would a tiger react to a human being?”
Abraham claimed that although he had not paid admission, he thought the zoo was open when he walked inside. He said the only time that he had scaled any fences was when the security staff caught him. State police discovered during their investigation that Abraham had in fact scaled multiple fences and ignored several warning signs posted in the area as well.
Abraham was released on a $40 bail and will appear in Dorchester District Court for a Tuesday arraignment.
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