‘He’s in danger of losing his arm:’ Video, 911 call released after man mauled by tiger at Florida airboat attraction

50-year-old employee attacked in Everglades area animal enclosure Tuesday

Outside the Wooten Airboats attraction in Collier County, Florida. (CNN, Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – The Collier County Sheriff’s Office released body camera video and a 911 call Friday in connection with a tiger attacking a man earlier this week at an airboat attraction in Southwest Florida.

Deputies said the tiger attacked the 50-year-old employee, who was not authorized to be in the animal’s enclosure, Tuesday at Wooten’s Airboats on Tamiami Trail East in the Everglades area.

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“You’re gonna need a helicopter... He’s in danger of losing his arm,” a 911 caller told the operator.

[LISTEN TO THE FULL 911 CALL BELOW]

The caller, a guest at the attraction, said he joined three other men in helping the man with his injuries outside the enclosure. He described the man’s arm as “pretty mangled.”

Body camera video shows law enforcement arriving on scene, trying to wake up the man, who they say is named “Nacho,” and hold his head up as they patch the injury.

“Help me,” the man is heard saying as first responders wrap his arm in gauze.

The man suffered injuries on both his arms and was later taken to an area hospital, investigators said.

According to the sheriff’s office, the tiger was not harmed and able to be contained by their caretaker.


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