New details have emerged about the death of William Chapman, who was fatally attacked by a tiger after entering an enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster.
An inquest into the tragedy opened at Doncaster Coroner's Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026, revealing fresh information about the circumstances surrounding his death.
The hearing also heard that William's family had raised concerns about his contact with mental health services before the incident.
Several investigations are now underway, while a date has been set for the full inquest.
What did the inquest reveal about William Chapman's death?
The opening hearing was told that an initial post-mortem examination found William died from multiple traumatic injuries sustained during his encounter with the tiger.
According to the evidence presented, William visited Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, 10 October, and entered the tiger enclosure at approximately 1.30pm.
Coroner's officer Caitlin Brookes explained that he had climbed over two fences before reaching the animal's habitat.
She told the hearing that William was approached by the tiger and sustained multiple injuries during the encounter, which rapidly resulted in his death.
South Yorkshire Police previously confirmed that he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The findings establish the medical cause of death reported at the opening hearing, although the wider circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
Family raises concerns about mental health care before tragedy
One of the most significant developments from the hearing concerned William's medical history and his contact with mental health services.
The inquest was told that William had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had experienced episodes of psychosis.
He was receiving support from adult mental health services in Doncaster before his death.
However, coroner's officer Caitlin Brookes described him as highly functioning and independent, with no identified care requirements.
The court heard that William's family had raised a number of concerns about his interactions with mental health services in the period leading up to the tragedy.
Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust has since launched an investigation following his death.
The existence of those concerns does not establish that any failures occurred, and the inquest has not yet determined whether William's mental health or treatment contributed to the incident.
Who was William Chapman?
William was living in Doncaster and working as a self-employed online trader at the time of his death.
His family previously paid tribute to him as a warm, bright and engaging young man who was deeply loved by those closest to him.
They also explained that he had experienced significant mental health difficulties over several years.
Following his death, the family appealed for privacy and criticised the circulation of distressing footage showing the attack.
They expressed hope that the authorities would establish exactly what had happened and whether any circumstances leading up to the incident required further examination.
Witnesses describe what happened at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Accounts from visitors have provided additional details about the moments before William entered the enclosure.
Witnesses previously claimed that a woman attempted to stop him from entering the tiger habitat.
One visitor, Del Taylor, told The Sun that she had seen William dancing near the enclosure before he asked her to take a photograph of him with the tiger.
Other witnesses described attempts to distract the animal after William entered the enclosure.
These accounts have been reported publicly, but the full sequence of events will be examined as part of the ongoing investigations.
Officials have not announced a final conclusion about why William entered the enclosure.
What happened to the tiger involved in the attack?
The animal involved in the incident was Altai, a five-year-old male Amur tiger.
Altai was born in Norway and moved to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in 2025.
The park's tiger habitat also houses another Amur tiger named Tschuna.
Visitors ordinarily observe the animals from an elevated walkway overlooking their secured enclosure.
Following the tragedy, the wildlife park received numerous enquiries from members of the public concerned about Altai's welfare.
On Sunday, 11 October, the park confirmed that the tiger was safe and would not be euthanised as a result of the incident.
The park also said specialist support would be made available to staff affected by what happened.
Multiple investigations launched after fatal tiger attack
In addition to the inquest, City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into the incident.
The council is responsible for licensing Yorkshire Wildlife Park and is working with other relevant agencies.
The NHS trust responsible for William's mental health care has also opened an investigation.
These enquiries will examine different aspects of the tragedy, including the circumstances surrounding William's care and the events at the wildlife park.
At this stage, no official findings of wrongdoing have been announced.
When will the full inquest into William Chapman's death take place?
The full inquest has been scheduled for 18 March 2027.
It is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding William's death in greater detail, including relevant evidence gathered during the investigations.
The coroner will consider the evidence before reaching conclusions about how William died.
For his grieving family, the proceedings represent an important opportunity to obtain answers about the events leading up to the tragedy.
While the opening hearing has established important new details, questions remain about what led William to enter the enclosure and whether anything could have been done differently beforehand.
Those questions will remain central to the investigations in the months ahead.
