A gorilla at the San Diego Zoo sprinted toward a viewing area Saturday afternoon, cracking one of the three layers of tempered glass that separate visitors from the habitat.
The incident involved a 10-year-old western lowland gorilla named Denny, according to Zoo officials. He was not injured. Zoo officials said the two gorillas in the enclosure will be cared for behind the scenes while the panel is replaced.
Witnesses describe the moment as terrifying, saying they thought the moment of impact was an earthquake.
"It was pretty scary. There definitely were people there quick though, security guards," Jackie Doubler said, noting that the Zoo "handled the situation well."
Doubler said the crowd had mixed reactions, some getting out of the area quickly, others running to see what happened.