Overview

• Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park said Ryan Easley, 37, was near the end of a performance when a tiger he had raised grabbed his neck and shoulder; he collapsed and was pronounced dead at the scene.
• Park said Easley’s wife moved the tiger into another enclosure after the attack, and deputies and emergency medical workers arrived to find he was no longer breathing.
• Growler Pines canceled tours and animal encounters and remains closed, with the facility describing the death as an accident involving a tiger under Easley’s care.
• Animal‑welfare groups including PETA and Humane World for Animals renewed calls to end big‑cat performances and urged transfers to accredited sanctuaries, noting Easley’s past acquisitions from Joe Exotic and Doc Antle.
• Joe Exotic posted and later deleted condolences reported by The Oklahoman, and a GoFundMe for Easley’s wife, Elaine, and daughter, Lily, has drawn donations.