I reported about the 200-pound chimpanzee attack yesterday where a supposedly “domesticated” chimpanzee escaped from his home and began wandering his Connecticut neighborhood.
Owner Sandra Herold called her friend Charla Nash, 55, to come and help her retrieve the animal. Once Nash arrived (with a new hairdo) the chimp, named Travis, attacked her, unprovoked.
The attack was so grim that the animal literally ripped off her face. Police thought she was a man when they first saw her. “There’s a man down. He doesn’t look good,” an officer radios, referring to Nash. “We’ve got to get this guy out of here. He’s got no face.”
Herold, looking to save her friend, ran inside, called 911, and grabbed a butcher knife. She then tried to kill the animal by stabbing it and hitting it with a shovel.
Once police arrived on the scene and they saw the condition of the victim they knew what a dire situation they were in. Travis lunged at officer’s who were forced to retreat to their vehicles. The 15-year-old chimp then opened one of the officer’s car doors and was going to attack him when he was shot by the officer. Travis then went back inside the home where he died.
The 911 call has been released today and it is horrifying. [Listen here.]
The animal is heard grunting during the call as his owner frantically screams, “He’s killing my friend!” The dispatcher says, “Who’s killing your friend?” Herold replies, “My chimpanzee! He ripped her apart! Shoot him, shoot him!”
After police arrive, one officer radios back: “There’s a man down. He doesn’t look good,” he says, referring to the disfigured Nash. “We’ve got to get this guy out of here. He’s got no face.”
Yesterday we reported that Herold said she had given Travis a Xanax shortly before the attack, but Herold is disputing those reports today. She is also trying to retrieve her pet’s body so she can have him cremated, but police are holding the body during the investigation.
It’s not known if charges will be pressed as of yet. Sometimes animal owners can be held responsible for attacks.
All around the entire incident is absolutely tragic and sad. Hopefully Nash can make a recovery, although sadly, her life will never, ever be the same.
ummm, in the video the reporter says that animal rights activists had called and said she should not have tried to STOP Travis…………..
I wouldn’t have to wait for the police to come shoot it………I’m just sayin’
WTF!?!?!?!?!? Who are THESE types of people?!?! She was just supposed to sit back and do NOTHING while her friend was being KILLED??
See in Alabama, we would not have this problem because we all have GUNS
Horrible story all the way around tho!
you abuse your chimp for years and then wonder why it attacks, call the police and beg them to shoot your beloved pet? Ok if you insist. People are stupid,
How do you know she abused him?
how incredibly sad. hopefully she will recover like roy of siegfried & roy.
Did she really say that animal activists called the woman to say she shouldn’t have tried to stop the chimp from attacking her friend? That’s just rediculous.
KJ, Yeah, I don’t know what the hell is up with that. How ON EARTH can someone (especially someone who wasn’t there) say that she shouldn’t have tried to protect her friend??!!
I am all for protecting animals rights, but c’mon!!! This poor woman (and yes, I do feel bad for her) LOVED that animal and the last thing she wanted to do was kill him, but obviously wanted to save her human friend over her chimpanzee “child”.
The whole thing is terribly sad.
I just feel horrible for everyone involved. Even the chimp, and the owner.
this attack is freaky; i guess you never know what might put a chimp over the edge