The Cincinnati Zoo has come under extreme scrutiny for shooting a 17-year-old silverback gorilla after a 3-year-old boy entered his enclosure.
The boy was unharmed after the gorilla, named Harambe, dragged him through a shallow moat in the Gorilla World enclosure. Fearing for the boy's life, zoo security considered the situation to be "life-threatening" and used live ammo to kill Harambe. Zoo officials said tranquilizers would have taken too long to be effective and could have further endangered the boy's life.
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Why is this relevant in sports? The Reds played host to the Nationals on Friday night and an ill-timed ad for Gorilla Glue and Gorilla Tape appeared behind home plate at Great American Ball Park during the broadcast.
Too soon, Cincinnati. pic.twitter.com/BwENMUAlgW
— Jacob Rasch (@serious_jammage) June 3, 2016
This is surely mere coincidence, but the timing for the city of Cincinnati could not be worse. Silverback gorillas are considered an endangered species and Harambe was a beloved attraction at the zoo. His death has resulted in many calling for "justice" by punishing the parents of the boy.
The Gorilla Glue ad appeared in the second inning of the Reds game, in which they held a 5-0 lead after four innings. Gorilla Glue has been a Reds sponsor since at least 2012.