Police shoot, kill chimp that attacked woman


One woman has been hospitalized with serious injuries to her face, neck and hands after a pet chimpanzee attacked her at a friend’s home in Stamford, Connecticut.

The victim, in her 50s, had just arrived at her friend’s house when the chimp, named Travis, became irate and attacked, according to Stamford Police Capt. Rich Conklin. Travis’ caretaker tried to pull the primate off her friend but was unsuccessful. She then called 911 before grabbing a butcher knife and stabbing the chimp. Stamford police shot the chimp multiple times when he ripped off a side mirror and tried to enter a police cruiser, Conklin said. Travis returned to the house and died inside. Conklin estimated Travis to be in his 20s, weighing close to 200 pounds. The police captain also said this isn’t the first interaction his officers have had with Travis — the chimp escaped in 2003 and “wreaked havoc” on the streets of Stamford for a couple of hours.

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