Police investigated the actions of the child’s family prior to him falling down into Harambe’s area, to see if charges were appropriate. After conducting their investigation, they turned the matter over to the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office to review the matter.
There has been a significant amount of public backlash following the Gorilla’s death. More than 200,000 people signed an online petition which aims to hold someone accountable for the death of the endangered animal.