Southwest
Shocking video shows zookeepers attempting to escape gorilla enclosure at Texas zoo
Two zookeepers found themselves in a frightening situation as they encountered a silverback gorilla in a World of Primates exhibit at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas.
In a now-viral moment garnering 14 million views, the gorilla, who is named Elmo, was captured on video as he appeared to aggressively charge towards one zookeeper.
The zookeeper is seen running before reaching for a door and using a two-way radio to call for help. The ape then crashes into a bucket of food and pauses to watch the zookeeper who is standing in the doorway.
TEXAS ZOO WELCOMES THIRD GORILLA IN 115 YEARS AFTER DOCTORS PERFORM EMERGENCY DELIVERY: ‘AN HONOR’
A man named Ben, who told Fox News Digital that he was the “responding security officer” at the time, shared the video today on his TikTok page under the handle, @ben306069 (See the video at the top of this article). The incident occurred in fall of 2023.
Two zookeepers at the Fort Worth Zoo tried to flee a gorilla enclosure on March 7, according to a TikTok video that has been viewed 14 million times. (@ben306069)
The video also shows a second zookeeper who was unable to escape until Elmo moved into an area that was far enough away from the enclosure’s exit.
FORT WORTH ZOO WELCOMES ‘SURPRISE’ LION CUB: ‘WE’VE BEEN KEEPING A SECRET’
The employee kept watching the movements of the gorilla and remained still after setting something down on the ground.
After Elmo fled into the corner of the enclosure, the second zookeeper escaped.
A woman and a man can be heard praying for the zookeepers as the workers try to safely escape the area.
“God help her. God help her. God help her,” a woman can be heard saying in the background of the TikTok video.
“Please protect her,” a man said.
Bystanders in the viral video can be heard praying over the zookeepers saying, “God help her.” (@ben306069)
As the second zookeeper escapes, one of the bystanders can be heard saying, “Thank you, Lord.”
The comments on the video are filled with TikTok users responding to the prayers being heard in the background.
Based on the video, it appears the zookeepers were able to escape the situation safely.
The two zookeepers appeared to escape the enclosure safely and get away from the large gorilla. (@ben306069)
Elmo the silverback gorilla turned 34 years old on March 5, based on a Facebook post shared by the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) – an Ohio-based nonprofit. Elmo was born at the Buffalo Zoo, which is located in Buffalo, New York.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Fort Worth Zoo for comment.
A representative for the Fort Worth Zoo told People Magazine in a statement today that, “On Oct. 20, 2023, an incident led to two of our zookeepers sharing space with our 34-year-old silverback gorilla. Thankfully, there was no physical contact between keepers and gorilla; and all staff and animals are safe.”
“Every day, the zookeepers shift the gorilla troop into their indoor habitat so that keepers can place the animals’ lunch in their outdoor habitat. Due to keeper error, staff entered the yard unaware that the silverback was still in its habitat,” the statement continued.
“The zookeepers work with and train these animals every day and thanks to their knowledge and expertise, they navigated the situation calmly and were able to exit the yard safely.”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Read the full article from Here
A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.
The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024.
Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.
-
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. The alleged gunman is circled. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01) -
Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on June 2, 2026, in connection with a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles. (California Highway Patrol)
Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan.
The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.
In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.
The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.
The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved.
Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest.
“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”
On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge.
“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”
The northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed for several hours near Los Angeles International Airport after a police pursuit ended with officers opening fire Friday morning. Unconfirmed reports indicated the incident began with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store, which ended with Los Angeles Police Department officers pursuing the suspect in a Kia. The chase […]
The victim in a bizarre and deadly stabbing in Tarzana has been identified as 81-year-old character actor James Handy, best known for a recent role in Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” The stabbing happened around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the West Valley area. Officers responded after receiving a […]
-
Mississippi5 minutes agoMississippi lawmakers, educators target achievement gap as older students lag behind
-
Missouri7 minutes ago
Missouri Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 winning numbers for June 5, 2026
-
Montana13 minutes agoSame Stars by Montana Joanna: Review | Illustrate Magazine
-
Nebraska20 minutes agoSoutheast Nebraska assault report leads to child porn discovery
-
Nevada23 minutes agoMissing person alert canceled after North Las Vegas man found dead
-
New Hampshire28 minutes agoManchester Man Indicted On Pembroke Child Assault Charges: Merrimack County Superior Court Roundup
-
New Jersey35 minutes agoRobots? Podcasts? See inside North Jersey Girl Scouts’ new Dream Lab
-
New Mexico38 minutes agoNew Mexico Highland University fires president
