The jaguar, which was standing near the torch lighters during the ceremony, was shot and killed by the Brazilian army after it ran off and charged at an officer.

A jaguar was shot and killed on Monday following the Olympic torch-lighting ceremony after it escaped its handlers and charged at an officer, the Amazon Military Command (CMA) said in a statement.

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The female jaguar escaped inside of the Zoo's Center of Jungle War Instruction in São Jorge, Manaus and was shot with a tranquilizer after she escaped, said the CMA.

@exercitooficial / Via Twitter: @exercitooficial

"The animal, even hit, went in the direction of a military that was in place," said the military. "As security procedure to protect the physical integrity of the military and team treaters, the animal was shot with a pistol and died."

The Brazilian Army has several jaguars in captivity, which have been listed as endangered by the country's environmental protection agency since 2003.

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