22-year-old woman killed by lion at Conservators Center in Caswell County – WXII12 Winston-Salem

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WEBVTT JONEE’: WE ARE STAYING ON TOP OF BREAKING NEWS RIGHT NOW. 22-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IS DEAD AFTER A LION ATTACK. DEPUTIES HAVE IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM AS A TRAINER, ALEXANDER BLACK. THIS HAPPENED AT THE CONSERVATORY CENTER AT EAST USE MILL ROAD. A LION GOT OUT OF ITS ENCLOSURE, FILLING A ROUTINE CLEANING AND ATTACKED THE TRAINER. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW THE LINE GOT OUT. OFFICIALS TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO TRANQUILIZE THE LION. THEY ENDED UP SHOOTING IT SO THEY COULD GET TO THE VICTIM. BLACK WAS A RECENT GRADUATE OF INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY. SHE STARTED AT WORKING AT THE CENTER IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF THE CONSERVATORY WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. AUTHORITIES ARE HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE PROVIDING THE LATEST AND UPDATES ON THE INVESTIGATION. I THINK WE HAVE SHERIFF DURDEN FROM CASWELL COUNTY, THE AGENCY THAT RESPONDED TO THIS ATTACK EARLIER TODAY ON THE LINE. ARE YOU THERE? >> YES, MA’AM, I AM. JONEE’: THANKS FOR GIVING US A CALL. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW AT THIS POINT? >> FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY TO THE VICTIM THAT WAS INVOLVED. NEXT, WE RESPONDED TO THE CALL THAT A PERSON WAS MAULED BY THE LION. DEPUTIES RESPONDED AND HAD TO ACT UPON THE INCIDENT. JONEE’: WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE DID YOUR DEPUTIES HAVE TO MAKE, HOW DID THEIR TRAINING HELP THEM IN QUICKLY ACTING IN THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION? >> WELL, MA’AM, THEY RESPONDED WITH ALL THE TRAINING THAT THEY HAD THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. IT IS HARD TO BE TRAINED FOR AN ANIMAL MAULING. YOU DO NOT HAVE TRAINING FOR LION ATTACKS. JONEE’: HOW ARE THEY HANDLING THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT OF BEING PART OF THIS? >> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. I SIT DOWN AND TALK TO THE DEPUTIES INVOLVED. THEY WERE SHAKEN. BUT THEY KNEW THEY HAD TO DO THEIR JOB AND THEY DID THEIR JOB TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES. JONEE’: CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE PIER 1 HAPPENS NEXT IN THIS INVESTIGATION? >> WE ARE GOING TO START BACK AND INVESTIGATE EVERYTHING AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT MISS ANYTHING TODAY. I KNOW THAT OUR INVESTIGATORS WERE DOWN THERE MOST OF THE DAY AND THEY DID A GOOD JOB. IN THE PATROL DEPUTIES WHO RESPONDED AND HAD TO PUT THE LINE DOWN, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS TOUGH ON THEM. BUT THEY DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO. JONEE’: THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP AS YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE. DEFINITELY THINKING OF YOUR OFFICERS AND EVERYONE IMPACTED BY THIS. >> THANK YOU. JONEE’