German police kill escaped tiger, man seriously injured

German police shot and killed a tiger that escaped from a private facility near the eastern city of Leipzig, and one person was seriously injured in the incident, authorities said.

Police said a 73-year-old man was inside the enclosure when the animal was released in Schkeuditz on the outskirts of Leipzig.

The person, identified as a volunteer authorized to be on the premises, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Police said the tiger escaped around 1 pm on Sunday.

A large number of police arrived and later found the animal in a nearby garden area.

The animal was later shot and killed at the scene.

Police said there was no indication that any other animals had escaped, but added that officers would deploy a drone to survey the area and ensure no animals remained at large.

Authorities have not yet determined how the animal managed to get out.

A tiger tamer in Schkeuditz is known to breed big cats in an industrial area.

According to media reports, the trainer had faced repeated allegations in the past regarding his behavior with tigers.