Man trying to enter cougar enclosure at Como Zoo is scratched by big cat

• October 11, 2014
• By Kevyn Burger

It’s not clear what a 23-year-old man was thinking when he attempted to climb into the cougar enclosure at the Como Zoo in St. Paul on Thursday afternoon.

WCCO reports that the man, identified as Brian Casey Phillips of Minneapolis, climbed a guardrail and onto the first of two steel mesh fences. Police think he was scratched by a cougar when he reached through the second security fence.

Before that, security guards had noticed him shouting at the big cats. The Pioneer Press reported that a Como Zoo employee asked Phillips why he’d tried to scale the enclosure. “Everybody gets the urge to do something,” the man replied, according to a police report. He was cited for disturbing zoo animals.

Como spokesman Matt Reinartz said Phillips came away with a minor scratch on the hand that did not need medical attention. He added that the man was fortunate his injuries weren’t more serious.
Phillips had been released from the Hennepin County Jail and was still wearing a jail identification bracelet, which is how St. Paul police identified him. Metro Transit Police had arrested him for walking on light-rail tracks in a tunnel at the Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport, halting rail traffic in the area for about 30 minutes. Phillips was charged with trespass and interfering with transit, both misdemeanors and had spent two nights in jail. 

At least 10 signs posted in the area warn visitors against such attempts, saying, “Dangerous area, stay behind guardrail,” “Thank you for not climbing,” and “Warning: Stay back, stay safe.”

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