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Minnesota dentist and professed trophy hunter Walter Palmer — the man accused of killing Zimbabwe’s most famous lion for sport — is now in the crosshairs himself on social media: Ricky Gervais called the hunt “mental,” and Palmer’s Yelp account has been ransacked by users calling him everything from a “sociopath” to “American Psycho incarnate.”
Palmer was named Monday by The Telegraph as Cecil the lion’s killer. According to the report, Palmer lured the animal out of a national park in early July, shot it with a crossbow, subsequently tracked it for 40 hours and then killed it and beheaded it. CNN reported the hunter or hunters paid $55,000 to hunt Cecil.
Since the report, Palmer’s dentist practice, River Bluff Dental, has been inundated with insults and criticisms on Yelp.
“Do you want a sick SOB like this in your mouth?” writes one person. “He is American Psycho incarnate. I hope the shadows come and pull him down into hell Ghost style.”
Another one is more aggressive: “I want to reiterate, you should kill yourself and donate your body to a big cat preserve w/ the express purpose of using your corpse as a scratching post.”
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Many of the critics say anybody that uses this dentist is funding his animal killing “sprees.” On social media, Twitter users who weighed in included Ricky Gervais.
“It’s not for food. It’s not the shooting, or tin cans would do. It must just be the thrill of killing. Mental,” wrote Gervais.
Theo Kingma also took to Twitter to speak out against Palmer, pledging $1,000 for his arrest.
Pledging $1k for arrest of #DrWalterPalmer for killing beautiful Cecil the Lion. #Zimbabwe, you have to prosecute! pic.twitter.com/hZkJUlmieh
— Theo Kingma (@theokingma) July 28, 2015
This is majestic Cecil the Lion before she met #DrWalterPalmer and his ‘I am rich, so I can kill whatever’ encounter. pic.twitter.com/183tSrpaMy
— Theo Kingma (@theokingma) July 28, 2015
Tuesday afternoon, Palmer released a statement via Minneapolis’ KARE11, saying he “had no idea” that the lion he thought he legally hunted was a “known, local favorite.” He, in essence, blames his guides.
Read his statement below.
“In early July, I was in Zimbabwe on a bow hunting trip for big game. I hired several professional guides and they secured all proper permits. To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted. I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt. I have not been contacted by authorities in Zimbabwe or in the U.S. about this situation, but will assist them in any inquiries they may have. Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.”
Here’s a look at some of the aforementioned Yelp reviews. New reviews on Palmer’s page apparently are being removed in the midst of backlash.
— “Hope your little trophy was worth it, guy. The entire world has ostracized you. But hey at least you bagged that big bad lion who had absolutely no intention of harming you. You’re a disgrace to humanity and a detriment to our species as a whole.”
— “Beware! This dentist might end up killing you in the process of whatever dental treatment you seek.”
— “If you seek out a sociopath in a dentist – this is your guy.”
— “If you visit this dentist for services, you are funding his sprees of killing innocent, magnificent African animals that should be protected.”
— “DO not fund this sadistic man and his ‘hobby.'”
— “I don’t know about this person’s capacity as a dentist. But in his capacity as a human being, he’s failed.”
— “Anyone who is a patient of Dr “Killer” Palmer is complicit and an accessory to murder of Cecil the Lion and the hundreds of other animals he has killed and/or poached illegally.”
— “He had the Mufasa death scene from ‘The Lion King’ on a continuous loop in the waiting room.”
— “I’m so glad I went to see Dr. Palmer. He did the most beautiful job on my teeth-which he personally carved out of elephant ivory.”
— “Fourth time’s a charm? Take down my review, I’ll just say it again. Anyone who uses Palmer supports poaching and murdering protected animals.”
Here’s a look at what Twitter had to say.
It’s not for food. It’s not the shooting, or tin cans would do. It must just be the thrill of killing. Mental. http://t.co/0fjtXoC1ML
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) July 28, 2015
Be “terrible” if something happened to this loser now his name was released #FingersCrossed #WalterPalmer – http://t.co/CuZ6dqAMJo
— Niall (@sidewinderVX) July 28, 2015
Manliest of manly activities: shooting at a defenseless, innocent animal from long range and bragging about it. #CecilTheLion
— Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) July 28, 2015
Few things are less manly than paying thousands of $$$ to go to a gated reserve to shoot a lion. How small is your dick bro? #CecilTheLion
— Matt Heiniger (@HeinigeronSport) July 28, 2015
#WalterPalmer may this beautiful face haunt you for the rest of your miserable life RIP #CecilTheLion pic.twitter.com/G2HXJDkc14
— Martine Collins (@Scattie00) July 28, 2015
Who can we bribe to lure #WalterPalmer out of his home?
— Ryan (@RyannT32) July 28, 2015
how could anyone be so oblivious to pain they actually delight in torturing an animal, then I remember he’s a dentist #walterpalmer #sadist
— Babs (@Cocolicquot) July 28, 2015
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