OKLAHOMA CITY — A tiger fatally attacked an animal handler during a big cat show at a preserve in southeastern Oklahoma, leaving onlookers in shock. The incident occurred Saturday at the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve near Hugo, close to the Texas border. Ryan Easley, 37, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after deputies arrived, according to Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park.

Sheriff Park reported that the tiger unexpectedly began to bite and shake Easley while they were inside a large cage. "It was a big tiger," Park said. "This particular one, he’d had for quite some time." Easley’s wife and young daughter were present during the attack.

In a statement on Facebook, the preserve expressed its sorrow, stating, "This tragedy is a painful reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world. Ryan understood those risks — not out of recklessness but out of love. The animals under his care were not just animals to him, but beings he formed a connection with — one rooted in respect, daily care and love." Following the incident, all tours at the preserve have been canceled until further notice.

The Growler Pines Tiger Preserve is a private facility that offers tours for visitors to view tigers and learn about their training and care. Since the preserve does not house animals native to Oklahoma, it is required to have permits from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as stated by Kelly Adams, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Animal rights organizations, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Humane World for Animals, commented on the incident. Debbie Metzler, PETA Foundation’s senior director of captive wildlife, remarked, "It was really only a matter of time before these cats responded in a way that is completely natural to them, which is to use aggression to respond to a stressor."

A certificate of veterinary inspection revealed that two tigers obtained by Easley in 2012 came from the G.W. Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, previously owned by Joe Exotic, a figure known from the Netflix series "Tiger King." Bryce Boyer, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, confirmed the authenticity of the document.

In a statement on Instagram, Joe Exotic expressed his condolences, saying, "So with all my respect as a human R.I.P. Ryan Easley. You died doing what you loved."

This incident is not the first of its kind. In 1997, a Bengal tiger killed its trainer in front of an audience at a circus in Pennsylvania. In 2003, Roy Horn of the famous duo Siegfried & Roy was critically injured by a white tiger during a performance in Las Vegas, which ended their long-running show.