Florida man wielding live gator chases people in convenience store, video shows
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A stock image of an alligator. An odd video shows a man brandishing a gator as he shopped for beer at a Florida business. (iStock)
A man in Jacksonville, Fla., brandishing a live gator chased people in a convenience store where he was purchasing beer, video of the strange episode shows.
The man, whose identity has not yet been confirmed, walked into the store holding the gator with his right hand. The animal’s mouth appeared to be taped shut, video posted by WTLV shows.
“Ya'll ain't out of beer, are you?” the man asked while walking toward the front counter.
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"Is he taking the last bit of beer? You aren't taking the last bit of beer are you?" he said to someone in the back of the store.
Moments later, the man with the gator jokingly ran at the other man as people in the store laugh.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He then grabbed a 12-pack of beer.
Florida wildlife officials are investigating the incident, WTLV reported.
The video was also shared by a Jacksonville man named Robby Stratton, who would not confirm if he was the same person who carried the gator in the video.
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“All I have to say is it was all fun and games. Everybody in the store was friends and everyone was laughing and having a good time. No one in the situation was scared or mad,” he said via Facebook Messenger.
His video had more than 8,000 shares and 300,000 views as of Saturday afternoon.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contriuted to this report.