William Chapman, the 24-year-old man who died after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, had previously experienced bouts of psychosis and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, an inquest has heard. His family has also raised concerns about his contact with mental health services before the incident, prompting a separate investigation into the care he received.

Chapman died on October 10, 2026, after climbing into the enclosure of an Amur tiger named Altai at the wildlife park in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. An initial post-mortem examination found that he had sustained multiple traumatic injuries.

The opening of the inquest on October 15 brought new details about Chapman’s medical history and the concerns his relatives had expressed before his death. Officials stressed that the full circumstances remain under investigation, and it will be for the coroner to examine the evidence before determining what conclusions can be reached.

His family has described him as a bright, warm and engaging young man who was deeply loved. They have also asked the public to respect their privacy and stop circulating distressing footage of the incident.

FAMILY RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CARE
At the opening of the inquest at Doncaster Coroner’s Court, coroner’s officer Caitlin Brookes said Chapman had a history of mental illness and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He had also experienced previous bouts of psychosis.

Chapman had been under the care of adult mental health services in Doncaster. However, the hearing was told that he was considered highly functioning and independent, with no formal care requirements.

Brookes told the hearing that his family had expressed a number of concerns about his contact with mental health services.

Following his death, Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust launched an investigation into its involvement with Chapman. The inquiry is expected to examine the concerns raised by his family and the circumstances surrounding the care he received.

The opening hearing did not establish that any failure in treatment caused the incident. Nor did it determine what role, if any, Chapman’s mental health history or prescribed medication played in the events of October 10.

Those questions remain matters for the ongoing investigations and the full inquest.

His family has said it hopes the relevant authorities will establish why he acted as he did. They have also emphasized that the coroner should be allowed to examine the evidence before conclusions are drawn.

WHAT HAPPENED AT YORKSHIRE WILDLIFE PARK?
The fatal incident occurred on Saturday, October 10, at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster.

According to information presented at the inquest, Chapman visited the park and entered the tiger enclosure at approximately 1:30 p.m. He had climbed over two fences before getting into the restricted area.

Once inside, he was approached by Altai, a male Amur tiger. The resulting physical encounter caused multiple traumatic injuries, which rapidly led to Chapman’s death.

Emergency services were contacted shortly after the incident began. Park staff worked to secure the tiger, and paramedics attended the scene, where Chapman was pronounced dead.

Authorities have not announced a definitive explanation for why he entered the enclosure. Although witnesses and videos circulating online have drawn attention to his actions, investigators must rely on verified evidence rather than speculation.

South Yorkshire Police have continued their inquiries, while City of Doncaster Council has launched a health-and-safety investigation as the authority responsible for licensing the wildlife park.

The council has said it is working with several agencies and will share relevant findings with the coroner.

HIS FAMILY REMEMBERS A BRIGHT AND LOVING SON
In a statement released after his death, Chapman’s family described him as a “bright, warm and engaging young man” whom they loved dearly.

They said he had experienced significant mental illness over a number of years and had been prescribed strong medication. The family added that it would be for the coroner to determine what part, if any, those circumstances played in his death.

The statement also conveyed the family’s distress at the circulation of footage showing the incident.

They said the publication and sharing of deeply offensive material was causing them severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time and asked people to stop distributing it.

The family urged the public not to approach them at their homes or seek additional information from their social media accounts. They asked for privacy as they tried to come to terms with the loss.

Their statement has underscored the distinction between public curiosity about a shocking event and the personal grief experienced by the people closest to the victim.

For the family, Chapman was not simply the man involved in a widely reported incident. He was a loved son and relative whose life included relationships, ambitions and experiences that cannot be captured by footage of his final moments.

A FORMER CHILD ACTOR WITH A BACKGROUND IN PERFORMANCE
Before his death, Chapman had appeared in television productions as a child and attended Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

According to published reports, his early screen appearances included ITV’s May Contain Nuts and the BBC series True Stories.

The stage school paid tribute to its former student, expressing sadness at his death and remembering the opportunity to watch him grow as both a person and a performer.

Chapman was living in Doncaster at the time of his death and worked as a self-employed online trader, according to information presented at the inquest.

These details have helped paint a fuller picture of his life beyond the circumstances that brought him to public attention.

His family’s tribute focused on his warmth and the affection they shared with him, while the stage school’s response reflected the lasting connections he had made earlier in his life.

INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE INCIDENT CONTINUE
Two separate lines of inquiry are examining different aspects of the tragedy.

South Yorkshire Police are investigating the circumstances of Chapman’s death, while City of Doncaster Council is conducting a health-and-safety investigation into the incident at the wildlife park.

The NHS trust is also investigating its contact with Chapman after concerns were raised by his family about his mental health care.

Each inquiry has a different purpose. The police investigation concerns the events surrounding the death; the council’s work concerns safety and licensing matters at the park; and the NHS investigation focuses on the care provided by mental health services.

The findings may help clarify different elements of the case, but no final conclusions had been announced at the opening of the inquest.

The fact that Chapman had a diagnosis of schizophrenia does not, on its own, explain his actions or establish why he entered the enclosure. Mental health conditions affect people differently, and the specific circumstances of this case require careful examination.

Likewise, the family’s concerns about mental health services are important matters to investigate, but they should not be treated as proof that a particular decision or omission caused his death.

FURTHER CONCERNS EMERGE OVER ACCESS TO HIS RECORDS
Developments reported after the inquest opening raised a separate issue involving the privacy of Chapman’s medical information.

The Guardian subsequently reported that Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust had begun an internal investigation after concerns emerged that two members of staff may have accessed Chapman’s medical records inappropriately after his death. The matter was reportedly referred to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The trust said the issue had been identified through audits and emphasized the importance of protecting patient information.

This reported investigation is separate from the inquiry into Chapman’s mental health care before the incident. It concerns whether staff accessed confidential records without a legitimate reason, rather than whether the treatment he received before October 10 was appropriate.

As of October 18, Health Secretary Wes Streeting had also publicly criticized the alleged access to records, according to further reporting. Any disciplinary action would depend on the findings of the investigation.

The development has added another sensitive issue for a family already dealing with an unexpected death. Medical information is private, and any alleged unauthorized access must be assessed through the appropriate procedures.

The record-access inquiry does not establish that the alleged conduct affected the circumstances of Chapman’s death.

THE TIGER WILL NOT BE EUTHANIZED
The incident also prompted public questions about what would happen to Altai, the tiger involved in the attack.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed that the animal was safe and would not be euthanized as a result of the incident.

The park expressed sympathy for Chapman’s family and said staff members affected by the events would receive specialist support.

The attraction temporarily closed following the incident while authorities carried out their initial work. It subsequently announced that it would reopen to visitors on October 16, while the Goliath? No — the tiger enclosure and park operations were being considered separately as part of the ongoing response.

The decision not to euthanize Altai reflects the park’s stated position on the animal’s future. It does not resolve the separate questions about how Chapman entered the enclosure or whether any safety measures need to be reviewed.

Those issues remain within the scope of the relevant investigations.

WHEN WILL THE INQUEST REACH A CONCLUSION?
The October 15 hearing was an opening inquest, rather than a full examination of all the evidence.

A full inquest was scheduled for March 18, 2027. That hearing is expected to consider more substantial evidence about the circumstances of Chapman’s death.

The coroner’s role is to examine the relevant facts and establish the circumstances surrounding the death in accordance with the legal process. The hearing may consider evidence from the police, health services and other relevant parties.

The family’s concerns about mental health services may form part of the evidence considered, but the opening hearing did not determine whether those concerns were justified or whether they were connected to the fatal incident.

Until the full process has taken place, any definitive claim about the role of Chapman’s medical history, medication or care arrangements would go beyond what has been established publicly.

A FAMILY STILL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
Chapman’s death has left his relatives confronting grief while several investigations attempt to establish what happened and whether any lessons can be learned.

His family has spoken about the mental health difficulties he experienced over several years, but they have also emphasized the importance of allowing the coroner to examine the circumstances properly.

The incident has raised questions about the response of mental health services, the safety of the wildlife park and the handling of private medical information. Those are serious issues, but they remain distinct and must be assessed on their own evidence.

For now, the confirmed facts are that Chapman entered the tiger enclosure on October 10, suffered fatal injuries during the encounter, and had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia and experienced bouts of psychosis. His family has raised concerns about his contact with mental health services, and the NHS trust has launched an investigation.

William Chapman’s family is seeking answers, but the reason he entered the enclosure and the circumstances surrounding his care have not yet been conclusively established. The full inquest scheduled for March 2027 is expected to examine the evidence in greater detail.

SOURCES
The Guardian — Man killed by tiger at Yorkshire zoo had bouts of psychosis, inquest hears