Gwangjin Police Station in eastern Seoul began an investigation Tuesday into a report from a 48-year-old woman, identified as a Kim, alleging she sustained a head injury after being hit by a rock thrown by an elephant.
According to police officers, Kim went to the zoo in the Children’s Grand Park Monday afternoon and was hit by a rock she claimed an elephant threw at her using its trunk.
However, she admitted that she didn’t see the rock being thrown by the elephant.
“I was passing the lion’s den and heading toward the elephant enclosure,” she was quoted as saying. “Then, I passed out after being hit on the back of my head.”
When she came to, she found two rocks the size of an adult’s fist nearby. All she remembered was that two elephants had coiled their trunks and stared at her.
Police said that Kim went to the zoo office and reported it before going home, believing her pain would go away. When the pain came back, she checked into a hospital and reported the incident to the police.
She blamed the park office for the elephants’ behavior but police didn’t say whether she was seeking damages.
Police were at a loss what to do at first but decided to investigate whether her account was true.
“This is the first case I have heard of an elephant throwing a rock at a person and injuring him or her,” said a veteran detective assigned to the case.
Police have secured a surveillance video from near the elephant enclosure.
foolsdie@koreatimes.co.kr
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