American Woman Killed In Lion Attack: Tourist Dragged To Her Death At Lion Park In South Africa

An American killed in a lion attack at Lion Park in South Africa was dragged to her death in mere minutes. The unidentified 22-year-old woman was dragged to her death and another person seriously hurt after the pair left their window down during the drive-thru African safari.

The Gauteng Lion Park near Johannesburg is reportedly a popular attraction for tourists visiting South Africa. The U.S. woman killed in the lion attack, like other visitors, drove her own vehicle around “large enclosures” where lions are free to roam at their pleasure. The South African Lion Park also reportedly permits safari visitors to “pet lion cubs” held in smaller enclosures.

The American woman dragged to her death by a lion reportedly left windows in the vehicle open, allowing the lion to get inside the vehicle. The individual critically injured in the lion attack may have been a man who attempted to pull the lion off the woman, according to unconfirmed breaking news reports coming out of South Africa.

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Gauteng Lion Park manager Scott Simpson released a statement about the deadly lion attack.

“We don’t know exactly what happened, we do know that there was a car driving to the lion camp and the lion did come through the window and it did bite the lady. Unfortunately the ambulance arrived quite soon but the lady has passed away.”

The woman attacked and dragged to her death at the Lion Park and the other injured person were reportedly the third big cat attacks in the Johanessburg and Honeydew area attraction during the past four months. In March, Australian tourist Brendan Smith was attacked by a lion, and just a few days later, a young teen boy was the victim of a cheetah attack. Smith also reportedly failed to put his window up during the safari.

In 2014, a visitor to the South African Lion Park uploaded a video to YouTube that appeared to show a lion opening a car door.

The Lion Park manager also told the media that visitors to the South African attraction are warned to keep their windows up during the safari experience.

“We make it so clear. We put signage up everywhere that people must keep their windows closed. We hand them a slip of paper when they enter the park, I really don’t understand why people think its okay to leave windows open.”

There are reportedly no plans by Lion Park officials to “destroy” the lion involved in the deadly attack on the American woman. The South African safari attraction is currently closed but planning on re-opening again tomorrow.

[Image via Shutterstock]