Fans are finally getting answers 15 years after Siegfried and Roy decided to end their Las Vegas show after a very scary tiger attack.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, tiger handler Chris Lawrence opens up about what happened and even reveals who’s to blame.
The tiger who attacked Roy was named Mantacore, and Lawrence believes Roy’s relationship, or lack thereof, with the tiger, is to blame for the attack.
“Many of the handlers thought that Roy was treating the cats more like props than he was respecting them for who they were,” the handler shared.
“That can only work as long as there are no variables, which is impossible considering that you’re dealing with a living, thinking animal.”
He continued, “I am positive that Roy’s diminishing relationship with Mantacore was a key factor in the attack.”
Not to mention, Lawrence feels very guilty for not jumping in sooner after the attack.
“This moment haunts me to my core and plagues me with overwhelming guilt. I actually talked Roy into using the tiger that would ultimately maul him and end the most successful stage show in the history of Las Vegas,” he said.
“What Roy did was, instead of walking Mantacore in a circle, as is usually done, he just used his arm to steer him right back into his body, in a pirouette motion.”
He added, “Mantacore’s face was right in [Horn’s] midsection. By Roy not following the correct procedure, it fed into confusion and rebellion.”
Lawrence then went in to stop the tiger, but it was too late.
“I vividly remember thinking, ‘Here he comes,’ and I experienced all of the things that you hear about prior to your death,” he shared.
The tiger dragged Roy’s body off the stage, but he luckily survived emergency surgery. However, he still has trouble walking and also talking.
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