Police: Chimp stole dart gun, lunged at police officer before he was shot
New details released on the fatal shooting of 17-year-old chimpanzee
By Joshunda Sanders
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Saturday, April 05, 2008

A chimpanzee that had escaped from a Bastrop research center in March snatched a tranquilizer gun from an animal attendant, leapt from a truck bed and threatened a police officer by flailing its arms before being shot several times, according to documents released Friday.


Details.

If dart guns are outlawed, only outlaw chimps will have dart guns.

Charlton Heston, may God rest his gun-loving soul, was not kidding when he said, "Get your hands off me, you dirty ape."

[This message was edited by JB on 04-06-08 at .]

Eddie Izzard has a hilarous routine about how guns don't kill people, but monkeys with guns do.

People kill people, but monkeys do, too! If they've got a gun.

Be warned before you jump, the language is harsh.

On a more serious note, adult chimpanzees can very dangerous. I happened to hear a caller to a local talk radio show discussing the incident. He described being in a group who were at a similar facility in another country when one of the adult male chimpanzees escaped and attacked the group including members of the facility. The caller was injured, but his friend was killed by the animal.

janette a

You are absolutely right. They are very strong.

Chimpanzee attack

[This message was edited by David Newell on 04-07-08 at .]

As my son would say, "Ouch, that gotta hurt!"

JAS

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You could get Chongo from Danger Island (a live-action segment of the Bannana Splits Show) and Chaka from Land of the Lost to present.

Wow! You know alot about monkeys, David! Quick, what were some of the ape/chimp character names from Planet of the Apes?

[This message was edited by Greg Gilleland on 04-07-08 at .]

All I remember is Dr. Zaius. (I assume you're talking about the Charlton "Get your hands off me you damn dirty ape" Heston version and not the Mark "Dirk Diggler" Wahlberg version.)

P.S. I was always partial to Ron Ely's Tarzan myself.

Cornelius

Zira
Honorious
Lucius
Maximus
Julius
Hunt Leader

He was an orangutan. (Just like Dr. Zaius.)

Back to the original story. What do you think about the fact that the officer gave two verbal warnings to the errant primate before opening fire? Too much TV for the cop?

You're right. He should've used sign language.