Along with many others who have expressed their sympathy, we at CatChannel extend our deepest condolences to the family of Carlos Sousa, Jr., who was killed tragically by a tiger at the San Francisco Zoo last Christmas Day. We also wish Kulbir and Paul Dhaliwal a full recovery from the injuries they sustained in the attack.

We’re saddened by such tragic loss of life, including the life of Tatiana, the rare Siberian tiger who was shot by San Francisco police. Tatiana’s premature demise adds to the steady decline of the tiger population. The World Conservation Union’s Red List estimates that there are only 250 mature Siberian tigers left in the wild and classifies them as critically endangered. There are more Siberian tigers in zoos than in the wild.

No one wanted this attack to happen. However, those responsible must be held accountable, so that we can learn from this incident and prevent something like this from ever happening again.

• Tatiana is least responsible for the tragedy that occurred that day. She wouldn’t have scaled a 12½-foot wall if she hadn’t felt threatened. Ultimately, Tatiana was threatened -- she was killed.

• The zoo must take responsibility for its failure to adequately contain the tiger in the enclosure.

• The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the accrediting body, must take responsibility for allowing the inadequate enclosure to pass inspection.

• If the investigation proves that Tatiana was taunted, then those who taunted her also must take responsibility.

Numerous reports surrounding the investigation are leaking out and it will be interesting to find out ultimately what really happened. Here’s what’s been published so far:

• A 4-year-old, 350-pound Siberian tiger named Tatiana, scaled a 12½-foot wall, escaped her enclosure and attacked three people, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

• Seventeen-year-old Carlos Sousa, Jr., was killed in the incident, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

• Two brothers and friends of Sousa, 19-year-old Paul Dhaliwal and 23-year-old Kulbir Dhaliwal, were injured in the attack but survived, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

• Tatiana was fatally shot by four San Francisco police officers, who claim she charged them after they yelled at her to distract her from one of the victims, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

• Police are investigating how a 9-inch rock, pine cones, branches and sticks got into the tiger’s enclosure, the Los Angeles Times reported.

• A shoe print was found on a railing next to the tiger enclosure wall, the Los Angeles Times reported.

• A claw mark was found on top of the enclosure wall, the Los Angeles Times reported.

• Investigators found an empty vodka bottle in the car that the victims used to go to the zoo, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

• A witness claims she saw four young men taunting lions earlier in the day, and she recognized Sousa from newspaper photos. She said although he was part of the group, he did not taunt the big cats, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.