Safari Guide, Who Once Said He’d ‘Rather Be Killed by’ an Elephant Than Ever ‘Shoot One,’ Killed by a Charging Elephant
By Bailey Richards
Published on April 18, 2026.
Gary Freeman, a longtime safari guide in South Africa, was killed by an elephant attack on April 9 while leading a walking safari at Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Freeman, identified as the owner of the reserve, was attacked by the animal while trying to scare it off with a revolver he was carrying. The incident occurred when an elephant suddenly emerged and charged at Freeman, who was taken to a safe place by the tour group and pronounced dead by emergency medical personnel. Freeman had led the walking Safari operation since its inception in the early 1990s and as of 2024, he still ran the operation largely by himself.
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Safari Guide, Who Once Said He’d ‘Rather Be Killed by’ an Elephant Than Ever ‘Shoot One,’ Killed by a Charging Elephant
A charging elephant killed safari guide Gary Freeman, who once stated he would rather be killed by an elephant than shoot, in South Africa's Klaserie Private Nature Reserve.