The enclosure separating Harambe the gorilla from the public was not in compliance with safety standards on the day a 3-year-old boy slipped into his exhibit, leading zoo keepers to shoot and kill the 17-year-old western lowland gorilla.
A federal inspection report states Cincinatti Zoo's barrier keeping the public and gorillas separate did not comply with standards for housing primates.
The report, seen by the Associated Press, said the zoo's dangerous-animal response team properly followed procedures after zoo visitors called 911 to report the child had fallen into the gorillas enclosure.
A team member concluded the child was in "life-threatening danger" and Harambe was killed to save his life.
Two female gorillas were also in the enclosure when the boy fell in but zoo officials said only the 400lb male gorilla remained with the child.
Since the inspection, the zoo made the barrier taller and used nylon mesh to close any gaps.
It said there had bee no earlier issues with the barriers, which were found to be compliant in earlier federal inspections.
After the gorilla's death, hundreds of thousands of people signed a petition calling for "Justice for Harambe".
The petition called for the boy's parents to be held accountable for "not supervising their child".
In a Facebook post, the boy's mother asked others not to judge her because "accidents happen".
Defending herself against her critics, Michelle Gregg wrote: “As a society we are quick to judge how a parent could take their eyes off of their child and if anyone knows me I keep a tight watch on my kids.
“Accidents happen but I am thankful that the right people were in the right place today.”
