A Florida man was bitten by an alligator that showed up at his front door on Saturday in Daytona Beach, Florida, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.
The incident appeared on the show "On Patrol: Live."
Many people on Twitter were upset when the trapper came in with a long pole and appeared to zap the alligator, which wiggled violently and appeared unconscious. Those on social media were particularly troubled when the officer on the scene told viewers that the trapper had not tranquilized the animal, but decided the best option was to euthanize it immediately.
The show's host and creator Dan Abrams issued a statement on Twitter addressing the concerns of the public.
"[W]e didn't know the gator was going to be killed (I was waiting for the 'trapper') and I didn't even know it was dead (as opposed to tranquilized) until officer on scene said so," Abrams wrote. "Sorry to those who were upset by it. We always try to be as sensitive as possible."
The alligator was 7 feet, 10 inches long, said state-certified trapper Curtis Lucas, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
"The resident opened the front door after hearing a noise, believing it was someone looking for his son," McCallister said. "The alligator lunged, and he was bitten in the upper thigh. The man's injuries were non-life-threatening and was transported to a hospital."
Lucas warned that it is almost mating season for alligators, so residents in the area will see the animals out more than usual.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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