State Police Identify Man Who Fell Into Movie Set Lion's Den

Massachusetts State Police have identified the man who fell into a restricted area of the Franklin Park Zoo yesterday as ARNOLD MILFORT, 27, of Dorchester. Investigation revealed that Milfort lost his balance and fell approximately 30 feet into an area that was being used as a lion's den by a production crew filming a movie at the zoo. No animals were in the movie set den at the time that the man fell.

A member of the production crew told State Police that Milfort gained access to the closed set by claiming falsely that he was a zoo employee. Witnesses reported that he tripped and fell into the den shortly before 3:45 p.m.

Initial estimates by witnesses and first responders that the victim was a teenager were made solely by visual observation. Emergency personnel were not able to interview the victim at the scene while he was being stabilized and placed into an ambulance for transport to Boston Medical Center. A state trooper was later able to interview Milfort at the hospital, where the victim's identity and age were determined.

Milfort has not been charged at this time. As of this morning, he remained hospitalized at Boston Medical Center with serious injuries.

No further information is available at this time. Please do not call the barracks directly.