Police shoot chimp after rampage wounds U.S. woman

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Police shot and killed a 200-pound (90-kg) chimpanzee that had once starred in television commercials after the ape nearly killed its owner's friend and attacked a police cruiser.

The victim, Charla Nash, 55, was in very critical condition from the biting and mauling attack on Monday, said Captain Richard Conklin, a spokesman for police in Stamford, Connecticut, a New York City suburb. Her injuries were life threatening, he said on Tuesday.

Owner Sandra Herold, 70, tried to stop her rampaging pet, Travis, by stabbing him with a butcher knife and hitting him with a shovel but the chimpanzee fended off the attack and then stormed a police car that had responded to the scene, Conklin said.

The ape ripped off the side-view mirror of the police car, banged on the car and opened the driver's side door, leading the officer to shoot the chimp several times with his pistol, Conklin said.

The animal fled the scene and police found a blood trail leading to its living quarters inside the house, where he died.

The chimp, just short of 15 years old, was taking medication for Lyme disease, which in humans can cause nerve damage and confusion in its later stages.

Travis had once starred in television commercials for Coca-Cola and the clothing retailer Old Navy, Conklin said.

Citing neighbours, local media said the chimp was normally well behaved and engaged in human activity such as surfing the Internet and watching baseball on TV. He reportedly sat at the dinner table, ate expensive steaks and drank wine, brushing his teeth afterward.

I heard this on the news this morning, i really don't care how old the chimp was or how long the family had the thing it was a wild animal. the only thing now with this wild animal, is that now it lived with someone and learned more violent acts whether it be from on TV or from the trainers them selves. BUMMER for the chimp it could still be alive if left in the wild or even in a zoo.

It weighed 200 pounds and was 20 years old, the chimp lost its respect for its owner and took it out on her friend, chimps have the IQ of a 5 year old child, and he through a tantrum, they are 5 times stronger than a man, when they go off they hurt people!

Theyre lucky that thing didnt hurt more people or kill several.