AP Photo/Jim Fitzgerlad, File)
- A woman reportedly jumped over a barrier at a lion exhibit at the Bronx Zoo in New York on Thursday.
- Witnesses told NBC New York the woman was throwing money toward the lion.
- Police are now looking for a woman who was involved in a similar incident in 2019.
A woman jumped over a barrier near a lion exhibit at the Bronx Zoo in New York City earlier this week and was captured on video throwing cash near the animal.
A shocking video obtained by NBC New York showed a woman wearing a blonde wig and a red dress appearing to throw money in the air and wave roses in the lion's direction. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Thursday, the zoo told NBC New York.
One witness claimed that the woman said, "King, I love you, I came back for you," to the big cat, NBC New York reported.
According to reports, the woman fled the scene before zoo employees and police reached the area.
According to the report, a woman identified as Myah Autry of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested and charged in 2019 for similarly jumping the barrier and taunting a lion at the Bronx Zoo.
"I missed him so much," the woman in the Thursday video said. The feline seemed largely uninterested in the woman.
Police sources told CBS New York that they are now looking for Autry because they believe the woman seen at the zoo this week matches her description.
In response to the Thursday afternoon incident, a Bronx Zoo spokesperson told the outlet that it "will aggressively seek prosecution against this individual and anyone who violates park safety rules."
"This situation involves one individual who is determined to harass our lions with no regard for her safety, or the safety of our staff and our guests, and no regard for the well-being of the lions," the statement said, NBC New York reported. "We have an NYPD substation in the park and are working closely with them to resolve this situation with this individual."
The zoo clarified that the woman "did not enter the exhibit" and was not in the "same space as the lions" during the time of the incident, the New York Post reported. She hopped a barrier and entered an area with a protective moat that separates the exhibit from the public, a zoo spokesperson told NBC New York.
She was never in any danger, the spokesperson added, according to the report.