The San Francisco Zoo in California is closed to visitors and has been declared a crime scene after a tiger escaped from its enclosure Tuesday, killing a teenager and injuring two others.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, San Francisco's police chief Heather Fong said police have launched a criminal investigation to determine whether a person was involved in the tiger's escape. She said officers have begun gathering physical evidence and taking statements.
Officials say the Siberian tiger killed 17-year-old Carlos Sousa, Junior, outside her habitat shortly after the zoo closed, then wandered into a cafe several hundred meters away and attacked the other two people. The injured men, ages 19 and 23, are listed in stable condition.
Police distracted the tiger after finding her attacking the second injured man, then shot and killed her as she approached them.
Police immediately evacuated the zoo and conducted a search to determine if any other animals had escaped. The zoo was closed Wednesday so authorities could search for other victims.
Officials say the same tiger involved in Tuesday's fatal attack seriously mauled a zookeeper last December during a regular public feeding. State officials closed the public feeding area for several months to make a number of safety changes.
The San Francisco Zoo is home to both Siberian and Sumatran tigers.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.