Harambe Tragedy Jumps Shark With New Merch Line; Audio Released From Mother's 911 Call

Sigh. Where to begin?

First, authorities have released audio from the 911 call placed by the mother of the boy who fell into Harambe's gorilla enclosure over the weekend.

In it, you can hear the mother describe her three-year-old boy (previously reported as four) being dragged by the gorilla. It ends with her saying, “I can’t watch this. I can’t watch.”

Harambe, a 17-year-old endangered silverback, was shot dead by the Cincinnati Zoo following the incident; a move that has been highly criticised by the denizens of the internet. (The parents have not come away from the encounter unscathed, with a petition calling for them to be “held accountable” nearing 500,000 signatures.)

The audio comes as police in Hamilton County consider criminal charges against both the Cincinnati Zoo and the parents of the child. A negligence complaint has also been filed against the zoo with the US Department of Agriculture.

The zoo can at least take solace in the fact that the boy’s family are not planning to press charges against them.

According to ABC News, a spokesperson for the family confirmed that the boy was doing well, and asked well-wishers not to send financial gifts, but to make donations to the Cincinnati Zoo instead.

Yes, I’m sure well-wishers will get right on that.

Or, perhaps they’ll buy a commemorative/ exploitative ‘Justice For Harambe’ T-shirt from Teespring. The website does not indicate whether or not the profits are going to any particular charity or conservation fund.

When people start making merch around a tragedy, you know it’s jumped the shark.

Photo: Teespring.