Zimbabwe’s most beloved lion, Cecil, was killed by American hunters this weekend. Watch Jimmy Kimmel’s tearful reaction to the news.

Earlier this week, news broke that Cecil the lion, a 13-year-old male Zimbabwean lion who resided in a national park, had been killed by poachers.

The story went viral for several reasons: one, African lions are considered an endangered species by some wildlife foundations, and two, Cecil the lion was lured out of his protective preserve in order to be brutally executed for sport.

He was also a popular tourist attraction, due to his distinct appearance, and the fact that he seemed to enjoy contact with humans.

You’ve probably seen the #CecilTheLion hashtag on social media, as people all over the world come together to mourn the death of this beautiful animal.

And now, the story has found its way to late night television.

Jimmy Kimmel Live took some time to address the issue of poaching, and Kimmel is visibly tearing up while relaying the information:

The killer was U.S. dentist Walter Palmer, who shot the animal first with a bow, and later finished the job with a rifle.

But it was a professional hunter Theo Bronkhorst and a local farm owner who sold him the hunt, for a reported $55,000. They are now being charged with poaching offences, and Palmer might face similar charges at home.

Kimmel calls out Palmer for trying to excuse his actions, asking the audience why he would need to resort to shooting an animal for fun.

“Is it that difficult to get an erection that you need to kill things?” he asks, in an impassioned speech that would make his fellow late night host John Oliver proud.

Finally, Kimmel (who is visibly tearing up at this point) sends viewers to WildCRU.org, the wildlife conservation research unit at Oxford that track and study animals like Cecil.

RIP #CecilTheLion.