CNN reported today that SeaWorld trainer, Dawn Brancheau, was fatally injured by a killer whale at SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Brancheau apparently slipped or fell in the tank when she was fatally injured by the whale, whose name is said to be Tillikum. The whale approached the glass side of the tank, jumped up and grabbed the trainer by the waist and shook her so violently her shoe came off. In 1999 Tillikum was also blamed for the death of a 27-year-old man whose was found floating on his back in a tank at SeaWorld, the apparent victim of a whale's "horseplay," authorities said then.
This news story has emotion, since it is dealing with a death of someone. Also it has some novelty, since the cause of the death is not something we hear everyday in the news such as a car accident. Also this news story has conflict, since this is not the whale's first connection with a human death some might wonder if it is safe to keep the whale at SeaWorld.
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