BTW, they were able to reattach his arm.
Posted on 05/18/2008 11:01:10 AM PDT by george76
A 210-pound alligator fought the law and the law won. But not before the 8-foot reptile sent the Volusia County sheriff's deputy who jumped it to the hospital.
Deputy Keith Baughman intended to protect people from the alligator roaming an apartment complex ... so the lawman threw a towel over the gator's eyes and climbed onto its back. And that turned out to be the wrong tactic.
The alligator threw off Baughman, then quickly snagged the deputy's left leg in its large jaws...
As the alligator clamped down, Deputy Jason Stickels did what he could to free his fellow officer before firing two to three shots from his service weapon, Haught said. One bullet struck the alligator.
"We're very fortunate he didn't suffer any more injuries than he did,"...
While the deputy's intentions were to protect the public, the way he went about it is question able...
"We recommend to the public never to engage an alligator. The same (goes) for our deputies - never engage the wildlife like that," ...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sent in professional trapper Jerry Flynn to deal with the ornery gator. It was "agitated" when he arrived at the parking lot, Flynn said.
"He had already been shot at," said Flynn, an alligator trapper for six years. "It kind of went crazy."
Flynn said he secured the animal "within seconds," but it took about three to four minutes to get it under control. Flynn then killed the alligator.
This afternoon, the alligator was going to be skinned and sold for its hide and meat...
(Excerpt) Read more at news-journalonline.com ...
Steve Irwin is rolling in his grave PING!
D’oh.
Hold muh beer.
“Bad Judgment” is the motto of Florida government in all its forms.
But did he have bad taste?
It’s a wonder that the Florida Goverment didn’t decide to kill the Aligator by starving and dehydrating it! but then they only do that to helpless dear people who have loved ones who want to care for them,, but have a husband who want them Dead.
Fishermen happened upon an alligator feeding on a human body in the waters of Saddle Creek Park near Lakeland on Saturday morning and investigators are trying to solve the mystery of how the man died.
An autopsy may or may not reveal some of the answers. Although pieces of the body were found in the stomach of the seven-foot, seven-inch, female alligator...
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080518/NEWS/805180337/1039
Ah, it wasn't "secured" until it was under control...
” his fellow officer firing three shots ... One bullet struck the alligator. “
Needs more range time ?
*shaking head*
Jumping on the back of an eight foot alligator?
*grin*
BTW, they were able to reattach his arm.
Sounds so - an alligator in an apartment building = up close and personal. How hard could it be to hit?
don't think I'd be comfortable with this guy watching my back...
Where to start?????? This is just wrong on so many levels. Wonder if his dash cam caught the “bad judgment” and will soon turn up on You Tube.
“Needs more range time ?”
No lie! The other officer is lucky he didn’t get bit by the alligator *and* shot by his fellow LEO.
Hey, it looked easy on the TV.
Right! You can empty your magazine into the face of some guy who's reaching for his ID, but fuhgawdsakes DON'T MESS WITH THE WILDLIFE!
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