Gumleaf
February 16th, 2009, 09:38 PM
11:00 AEST Tue Feb 17 2009
A nappy-wearing chimpanzee has been shot and killed by police after viciously attacking his owner's friend.
Witnesses said the 80kg primate — dubbed "Travis" — pounced on the woman and mauled her, forcing owner Sandra Herold to use a butcher's knife to pry him off, the New York Daily News reports.
When police arrived and attempted to clear a path for an ambulance, Travis ripped the side mirror off their cruiser and tried to open a door.
The officer inside fired several shots, killing the ape.
The attack is believed to have happened at Ms Herold's home in Stamford, Connecticut, yesterday.
Ms Herold and two police officers were also injured in the attack.
The unidentified victim remains in a critical condition with severe injuries to her face and hands.
The incident may come as a shock to Ms Herold who ensured that the 16-year-old was well-trained and accustomed to human interaction.
Travis was toilet trained, took his own bath, could log onto a computer to look at photos and was able to brush his own teeth.
He enjoyed drinking wine, watering plants and watching baseball on television.
In his younger days Travis appeared in a Coca Cola advertisement.
The chimp is well-known amongst locals because of an incident in 2003 when he leapt from a moving vehicle driven by his owners after he was startled by something thrown through the car window.
Travis played at a road intersection for several hours before police forced him into the back of a truck.
A nappy-wearing chimpanzee has been shot and killed by police after viciously attacking his owner's friend.
Witnesses said the 80kg primate — dubbed "Travis" — pounced on the woman and mauled her, forcing owner Sandra Herold to use a butcher's knife to pry him off, the New York Daily News reports.
When police arrived and attempted to clear a path for an ambulance, Travis ripped the side mirror off their cruiser and tried to open a door.
The officer inside fired several shots, killing the ape.
The attack is believed to have happened at Ms Herold's home in Stamford, Connecticut, yesterday.
Ms Herold and two police officers were also injured in the attack.
The unidentified victim remains in a critical condition with severe injuries to her face and hands.
The incident may come as a shock to Ms Herold who ensured that the 16-year-old was well-trained and accustomed to human interaction.
Travis was toilet trained, took his own bath, could log onto a computer to look at photos and was able to brush his own teeth.
He enjoyed drinking wine, watering plants and watching baseball on television.
In his younger days Travis appeared in a Coca Cola advertisement.
The chimp is well-known amongst locals because of an incident in 2003 when he leapt from a moving vehicle driven by his owners after he was startled by something thrown through the car window.
Travis played at a road intersection for several hours before police forced him into the back of a truck.