A tiger escaped from its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo Tuesday and attacked several visitors, killing a man before being shot and killed by policemen.

The female Siberian tiger Tatiana managed to escape from its pen and killed an unidentified man late in the afternoon, just after the zoo’s closing time.

According to zoo officials, the 23-year-old victim was killed near a tiger enclosure before the 9-year-old animal mauled two other men at a nearby café. The two men escaped with injuries only after police officers opened fire.

The injured were taken to the San Francisco General Hospital in stable but critical condition, local media saying they were seriously wounded by the raging animal.

Immediately after the attack the park was evacuated, officials fearing more tigers from the same enclosure may have escaped. Zoo officials couldn’t explain how the tiger escaped, but said an investigation has been launched.

The same tiger attacked a zookeeper last year on December 22 during feeding time in front of terrified visitors. Witnesses said the tiger grabbed the keeper’s hand and tried to pull her in. A second zookeeper managed to free the employee from the animal’s grip.

The public feedings were suspended and the enclosure was transformed, but despite the safety upgrade the tiger managed to escape.