Escaped lion shot dead after killing North Carolina zoo worker

An escaped lion has been shot dead at an animal sanctuary in North Carolina after killing a recently hired college intern, Sky News reported.

The lion attacked Alexandra Black, 22, while the enclosure was being cleaned at the Conservators Center on Sunday.

Ms Black, who recently graduated from Indiana University, had only been working at the North Carolina wildlife park for about two weeks, her family said.

The lion was shot and killed after attempts to tranquilise it failed, police said.