A 420-pound gorilla was shot and killed after a young boy fell into its habitat at the Cincinnati Zoo, and the incident sparked controversy as some witnesses said the silverback gorilla was trying to protect the youngster.

Portions of the incident were captured on cellphone video, which you can see below.

The video shows the 3-year-old boy being dragged by the ankle as the great ape, Harambe, moves around the habitat. The animal then appears to stand guard over the boy.

“Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard defended the killing of Harambe, saying at a news conference that the creature had the strength of six men and was acting ‘erratically,'” The New York Post reports.

The boy’s family released a statement saying: “We are so thankful to the Lord that our child is safe. … He is home and doing just fine.”