By Bill Hutchinson

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An investigation continued Monday into what prompted a tiger to attack and kill its handler over the weekend while performing in front of a crowd at an animal preserve in Oklahoma, authorities said.

The attack unfolded on Saturday at the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve in Hugo in southeast Oklahoma, near the Texas border, and claimed the life of 37-year-old Ryan Easley, the owner of the preserve, Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park told ABC News on Monday.

Easley and a tiger were performing for an audience when the animal turned on Easley, attacking and killing him, Park said.

“It happened toward the end of a show in which there were people that saw this incident occur,” Park said in a phone interview with ABC News. “No one knows, other than God above, as to what made the tiger attack the handler/trainer.”

Park said the tiger, which Easley had raised since it was a cub, bit Easley around the neck and shoulder, likely killing him instantly.

The sheriff said Easley’s wife and young daughter were among those who witnessed the attack and that when the tiger stepped away from Easley, the wife rushed into the cage and removed the animal to another cage.

Park said the incident was reported at about 2 p.m. on Saturday. He said sheriff’s deputies, along with Hugo police officers and a Choctaw County Emergency Medical Services crew, were dispatched to the preserve, but that Easley was already dead when they arrived.

Easley’s body was taken to the state Medical Examiner’s Office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for an autopsy, Park said.

Park said an agency that licensed the preserve also responded to the scene and is conducting an investigation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the agency that licensed the facility and conducted inspections there, according to the preserve. The USDA did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

“They have been here for several years,” Park said of the preserve. “The community loves them. A lot of people came and watched the shows.”

The Growler Pines Tiger Preserve released a statement on its Facebook page on Sunday announcing Easley’s death.

“It is with profound sorrow that we confirm the tragic loss of Ryan Easley, who lost his life in an accident involving a tiger under his care…,” the statement said.

The statement continued, “Ryan was a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation. His love for animals, especially Big Cats, was evident in every aspect of his life. He dedicated his life to the protection and care of these magnificent animals, and he believed deeply in the mission of Growler Pines to provide a safe and forever enriching home for the animals under his care. Growler Pines was more than just a place of work for Ryan; it was his calling, his passion and his life’s purpose.”

On its website, the preserve said Easley previously ran ShowMe Tigers, which toured the country performing with the animals. The preserve claimed that it and ShowMe Tiger to have passed 32 consecutive surprise inspections by the USDA “without a single issue.” On its Facebook page, the preserve posted its latest USDA inspection from Jan. 13, 2025, which said, “No non-compliant items were identified during this Re-License inspection.”

Humane World for Animals, formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States, said in a statement on Monday that Easley owned 10 tigers, and that prior to opening his preserve, he ran ShowMe Tigers, which the organization described as “a circus act featuring tigers that traveled throughout the U.S.”

The organization said Easily acquired young tigers from zoo operator Joseph Maldonado, also known as “Joe Exotic,” the former Oklahoma zoo owner featured in the 2020 Netflix documentary series “Tiger King” and is now serving a 21-year prison sentence for perpetrating a murder-for-hire scheme and for the killing and selling of tigers.

“Ryan Easley’s death was a sad and preventable tragedy, and we hope it serves as a reminder of the danger and cruelty of other operators who still use dangerous wild animals for entertainment,” said Laura Hagen, director of captive wildlife for Humane World for Animals.

ABC News’ Bennett Garcia contributed to this report.