Men injured by tiger remain hospitalized

SAN FRANCISCO -- Two San Jose brothers who were injured by a tiger that killed a teenager when it escaped its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo on Christmas are reportedly doing well, but they aren't going to be released from the hospital today, doctors said.

Dr. William Schecter, chief of surgery at San Francisco General, visited both men this morning and said he expects them to be released in the next several days.

"They're stable and doing well," he said. "They had serious injuries. We are fortunate police and paramedics got there when they did."

Specifics regarding the brothers' injuries are not being released, but Dr. Eric Isaacs said that when they arrived they were in serious but stable condition.

"There was significant blood loss," he said, but the bleeding was controlled. They were alert and talking with paramedics at the time.

Isaacs described the situation as life threatening right after the attack, but paramedics were able to stabilize them at the zoo, he said.

The 4-year-old Siberian tiger, Tatiana, killed Carlos Sousa Jr., 17, of San Jose, at about 5 p.m. Tuesday before going after the brothers, who are 19 and 23 years old.

The tiger was fatally shot by police following the attack.

The zoo will remain closed today, according to a zoo spokeswoman. A reopen date for the zoo has not been announced as an investigation into how the tiger escaped continues.

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