Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump commented on the controversy over a gorilla killed at the Cincinnati Zoo after a toddler fell into its cage.
“I think it’s a very tough call,” Trump stated during a press conference at Trump Tower on Tuesday.
It was amazing because there were moments with the gorilla, the way he held that child, it was almost like a mother holding a baby, looked so beautiful and calm and there were moments where it looked pretty dangerous. I don’t think they had a choice. I mean, probably they didn’t have a choice. You have a child, a young child who is at stake, and, you know, it’s too bad there wasn’t another way. I thought it was so beautiful to watch that, you know, powerful almost 500-pound gorilla, the way he dealt with that little boy, but it just takes one second. It’s one second. It’s not like it takes place over, well, he’s going to do it in 30 seconds from now. It just takes one little flick of his finger and I will tell you they probably had no choice.
Trump’s comments come after there is a call to hold the child’s parents responsible. CNN reports an online petition acquired more than 100,000 signatures in two days requesting “Justice for Harambe.”
“This beautiful gorilla lost his life because the boy’s parents did not keep a closer watch on the child,” reads the petition.
Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard, the Cincinnati Zoo director, stands by the decision to kill Harambe, the 17-year-old gorilla, in order to protect the child.