Suicidal Ohio animal owner not drunk or on drugs
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A final coroner’s report shows an Ohio man who released dozens of wild animals and then killed himself had no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that the findings released Wednesday also confirm that 62-year-old Terry Thompson died after he put a gun to the roof of his mouth and fired. And the report indicates he was bitten and clawed by large cats immediately after his Oct. 18 death on his property near Zanesville in eastern Ohio.
Sheriff’s deputies were forced to kill 48 loose exotic animals, including bears, lions and endangered Bengal tigers.
Three leopards, two primates and a grizzly bear survived the big-game hunt and are now in the care of the Columbus zoo.
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