Kenyan rangers killed a lion that pounced on a man in a crowd after it escaped from a park in the capital of Nairobi. The man, who was hospitalized with deep lacerations and bruises, had joined hundreds of bystanders surrounding the animal, CNN reported. The death of Mohawk, a majestic 13-year-old big cat so named because of the shape of his black mane, sparked an outcry among Kenyans. Citizens used hashtag #JusticeforMohawk to ask why rangers did not tranquilize him instead. Kenya Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Udoto said the lion escaped from the Nairobi National Park on Wednesday and ended up in Isinya town, 12 miles away. Veterinary teams headed to Isinya after they got word on Mohawk’s whereabouts. But noise and commotion from bystanders agitated the animal, prompting it to attack the man. In order to save lives, rangers shot it to death before veterinarians arrived with tranquilizers, Udoto said. “This action was taken as a last resort after an escalation of the situation and a concern for public safety,” the Kenya Wildlife Service said.
