“HE HAD BECOME SO FRIENDLY”: Neighbours Share Heartbreaking Memories of William Chapman After Fatal Tiger Incident

William Chapman, 23, died after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. As his family grieves, a neighbour has spoken about the young man he came to know — describing someone who had become increasingly friendly and approachable in the months before the tragedy.

The death of William Chapman at Yorkshire Wildlife Park has left his family devastated and those who knew him struggling to understand how such a tragedy could happen.

William died on Saturday, October 10, 2026, after entering the enclosure of an Amur tiger named Altai at the wildlife park in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Emergency services were called shortly after 1:30 p.m. He suffered fatal injuries during the encounter and was pronounced dead at the scene.

In the days that followed, his neighbours began sharing memories of a young man whose life extended far beyond the circumstances of his death.

Their recollections have offered a more personal glimpse of William — someone who, according to one neighbour, had gradually become more comfortable talking to people and forming connections in his local community.

“HE HAD BECOME VERY APPROACHABLE”

William’s neighbour Josh Anderton, 24, told reporters that he had noticed a change in William during the months before his death.

When Anderton first encountered him at a local pub, William often struggled to start conversations. He would sometimes stay nearby without saying much.

But over the previous six months, Anderton said, William had become increasingly friendly and approachable.

He began seeing him more regularly and said they developed a more familiar relationship through their encounters in the neighbourhood.

Anderton remembered William as someone who was polite and considerate, including holding doors open for his partner.

He also recalled conversations about William’s childhood experience in television and his enthusiasm for Formula One racing.

The neighbour said he had seen William about a week before the incident and had not expected anything so tragic to happen.

His account has resonated with people following the story because it shifts attention away from the shocking circumstances of the death and towards the everyday interactions through which neighbours come to know one another.

A FAMILY REMEMBERS A MUCH-LOVED SON

In a statement released through South Yorkshire Police, William’s family described him as a “bright, warm and engaging young man” who was deeply loved.

They also disclosed that he had experienced significant mental health difficulties over a number of years and had been prescribed strong medication.

The family said it would be for the coroner to consider what role, if any, his medical history and medication played in his death.

They expressed hope that the relevant authorities would carefully investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident.

Their statement also included a plea for privacy. The family said distressing footage circulating online was causing them severe pain during an already devastating period.

They asked members of the public not to approach them or their homes and urged people not to collect or share further personal information from William’s or his relatives’ social media accounts.

For a family trying to come to terms with losing a loved one, they said, the circulation of such material had made an exceptionally difficult time even harder.

WHAT HAPPENED AT YORKSHIRE WILDLIFE PARK?

Police confirmed that William had been visiting the park alone when he entered the tiger enclosure on October 10.

At the opening of an inquest at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on October 15, the hearing was told that he had climbed over two fences before entering the enclosure.

The coroner’s officer said he was approached by the tiger and sustained multiple traumatic injuries during the encounter.

A preliminary post-mortem examination recorded his cause of death as multiple traumatic injuries following animal interaction.

The inquest was adjourned, with a full hearing scheduled for March 18, 2027.

Separately, Doncaster Council launched a health and safety investigation into the incident. The authorities have not yet completed their investigations, and the full circumstances remain to be examined.

QUESTIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

At the opening of the inquest, the court heard that William had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had experienced episodes of psychosis.

He had been receiving support through adult mental health services but was described at the hearing as highly functioning and independent, with no care requirements.

His family raised concerns about his contact with mental health services before his death. The relevant NHS trust subsequently commissioned a patient safety investigation into its involvement with him.

These matters remain subject to review. His diagnosis alone does not explain why he entered the enclosure, and no definitive conclusion about his actions should be drawn before the evidence has been examined.

For his family, the investigations represent an opportunity to understand the events leading up to his death and establish whether anything could have been done differently.