Deputies shot lion that killed intern at N.C. center 8 times

RALEIGH, N.C. — Caswell County sheriff's deputies had to use eight shots to kill a lion that fatally attacked a 22year-old intern at a North Carolina wildlife center Sunday, according to a law enforcement report released Wednesday.

Alex Black, 22, was helping to clean an enclosure for big cats when she was attacked by the 14-year-old lion. The recent college graduate had worked at the center for less than two weeks, her family has said.

Three officers with the Caswell County Sheriff's Office responded to the center on the Alamance-Caswell County line, Sunday morning.

The staff was trying to separate the lion from the victim, according to the incident report.

“Staff members stated that the victim had not moved from the spot she was in since the lion left her there. The victim did not appear to be moving, and it was unclear as to her status.”

When officers arrived, the Conservators Center CEO and co-founder Douglas Evans were still getting a tranquilizer gun from a golf cart.

Once the tranquilizer gun arrived, Evans tried to load the gun but the dart “appeared to break” and he “could not get the broken part out.”

He then left on the golf cart to get another tranquilizer gun, according to the incident report. It was at this time that staff members used raw meat to try and lure the lion to a different part of the enclosure and away from the victim.

After an undetermined amount of time, Evans came back with a blow gun and shot the lion twice.

Officers were told by the center's executive director Mindy Stinner that two shots would “put the lion to sleep.” The lion did lay down but it “showed no signs of becoming sleepy,” according to the report. Evans fired a third shot and staff members were told if the “third dart did not put the lion to sleep, that (Caswell deputies) would have to use lethal force to neutralize the situation.”

Law enforcement officers then cleared the area near the enclosure and Sgt. Michael Griggs used a shotgun to shoot the lion.

The lion eventually lied down after the sixth shot, but with “his head still up and looking around.”

A different officer shot the lion a seventh time before a final eighth shot finally killed the animal.

Black was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the incident report.

All new officers are given a tour of the Conservators Center when they are hired, but they do not undergo special training because the wildlife center is there, said Caswell County Lt. Darrell McLean.

It's the first time, he said, that law enforcement had to respond to an animal attack at the center.

The Associated Press reported “nothing out of compliance was found at the center during inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in April 2018 or January 2017. The government inspector counted 16 lions, three tigers and two leopards among 85 animals during the 2018 site visit.”