NewsLocal NewsCollier County

Actions

'She actually pulled him in': Newly released calls offer insight on man bitten by tiger

Tiger bite body camera
Posted at 3:32 PM, Mar 25, 2022
and last updated 2022-03-28 06:09:11-04

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — The Collier County Sheriff's office released body-worn camera and 911 calls Friday offering more insight on how a man was bitten by a tiger at Wooten's Airboat Tour Company Tuesday afternoon.

"I am at Wooten's Animal Farm and airboat ride, the man has just been attacked by a tiger," one guest can be heard on a 911 call. "He got both arms, we are down to the tendon. He is still in the enclosure everyone’s safe but you're going to need a helicopter."

CCSO also released two videos from cameras worn by two of the first deputies who responded, offering perspective on what happened minutes after the bite.

In the video, you can see the employee, Ignacio Martinez, 50, in and out of consciousness on the ground, bleeding from both arms and screaming in agony at some points. Even saying he's going to die. Co-workers comfort him as those deputies wrap Martinez's arms with gauze.

"You are okay, you are going to be okay, I promise," one worker can be seen telling him on the video.

The video also gives more insight on how the incident happened to begin with as deputies questioned employees.

"He wasn't inside the cage from what I know, he was outside the cage and she actually pulled him in," one worker told deputies.

"He must have been petting him and he pulled him through," added another.

It only took a few minutes for paramedics to arrive sending Martinez to the hospital. We have not received an update on Martinez's condition.

However, we did reach out to FWC for the latest on the investigation, they tell us Friday it is still ongoing.