Brothers sue over tiger attack

The San Jose Mercury News reports that the two brothers mauled by a 250-pound Siberian tiger at the San Francisco Zoo in December have followed filed a lawsuit that blames city officials and the zoo for their injuries and also seeks damages for defamation in the aftermath of the international incident. The tiger also killed 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr., whose family had already filed a lawsuit over the attack. The tiger was eventually shot and killed by San Francisco police. The brothers maintain the zoo and the police were negligent in causing the attack and failing to respond adequately to the escape. In particular, the lawsuit alleges the zoo contributed to the danger by housing the tiger in an enclosure that did not meet height requirements recommended in national zoo standards. The lawsuit also alleges the brothers were defamed by zoo representatives after the attack in statements blaming them for taunting the tiger and suggesting they instigated the incident. San Francisco Zoo officials have denied liability for the attack.