Chimp bites 5, is shot to death

Dr. David Putnam, who runs the Siam Zoo Pet Center at 1890 Cheshire Bridge Road, dropped his head onto folded arms against his gold van.

He was mourning the death of his pet chimpanzee, Susie, who was shot and killed by a police officer early Thursday morning after she escaped from the pet center.

Five bystanders were reported injured by the chimp, none seriously. Four received medical attention, but the fifth person refused treatment and left the scene.

"It's kind of shocking," Putnam said, raising his head and squinting in the bright morning sun. "I came in about five this morning. Susie and I usually clean up the store and have breakfast together. This morning she had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and coffee with cream and sugar," Putnam recalled. "She sweeps and mops. She loves to clean -- did."

Susie and Harry the huron (a South American animal related to the weasel), who also resides in the pet center, often played tag and hide and seek. "They did this (Thursday) morning. They were best friends," Putnam said.

While performing her morning duties, Susie had to go to one of the storage rooms to get something when the door locked behind her, locking her inside. A patron from a nearby bar had broken the glass to one of the doors leading outside one night, and the glass had been replaced with a plastic, glass-looking pane. The chimp pushed in the pane and entered the pet center parking lot. A passing police car spotted her, Putnam said. The police lights frightened her.

"As she got more and more frightened, she lost her rationality. She inflicted some superficial bite injuries to four or five people," Putnam said. "At one point she was no longer on the streets, she was headed into a wooded area. They shot her; they kept shooting. ... I don't believe five shots in the back was an appropriate response."

Police chased Susie for about an hour before the fatal shooting at 1895 Piedmont Road by Officer R.L. Hyde. "We did everything we possibly could to keep from killing the chimp," Capt. L.F. New, assistant commander of the Zone 2 police precinct. "We called Emory (University) to try to get a tranquilizer gun, but they were talking about an hour (before they could arrive). We couldn't stand by and let it attack everyone it came in contact with. If it had attacked a child, it could have killed it." Susie stood four feet tall and weighed about 140 pounds, New said.

The first person attacked was Wayne Vinnedge, who was sweeping the parking lot at the nightclub where he worked, according to New. Susie bit him on his leg.

Then two women, Diane Paulson and Gladys Christopher, were attacked, one as she exited from a MARTA bus and the other she was going into a doughnut shop. The chimp went toward the bus as if she were going to enter, New said. But instead, Susie bit Ms. Christopher on her arm, then threw her to the ground, giving her a head injury. Ms. Paulson was then bitten on the left leg as she exited the bus.

The chimp also bit a man who declined to give police his name and left the scene without receiving treatment.

After Putnam told police that the chimp might enter his van if they brought it to the scene, an officer called Futo's Wrecker Service, where the van was located, and had the van towed to Piedmont Road not far from the animal's home at 1890 Cheshire Bridge Road. "But it didnt' work," New said. "The chimp wouldn't come near the van."

Instead, the chimp attacked Gordon Anthony, driver of the wrecker, and bit him on the arm and had him by the throat, New said. Anthony pushed Susie away from him, but she lunged for him again.

Then the officer fired four times, New said. "After the officer stopped shooting, the chimp stopped advancing. Then she ran into the woods, where she died."

Anthony said he didn't know what happened; the chimp attacked suddenly. "I was in shock. I've spent half the day at the Piedmont Hospital getting treatment. The police officer (who shot the chimp) called me later to tell me he feared for my life," the 44-year-old wrecker driver said. "Nobody could do anything with her. Not even her owner. I've seen her since she's been there (the pet center). I remember when her owner brought her there. I guess it's just one of those things. ... She just wanted to go for me."

Although Putnam was obviously upset, he said the Zone 2 police force "was a superb group. Susie counted them among her best friends."