LEE COUNTY, Fla. – Here in Florida, when parents send their children off to school with a “See ya later, alligator,” it’s literal.
At least, that was the case in Lee County Thursday morning when a 7-foot alligator greeted students at the Lexington Middle School drop-off, Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a tweet.
[TRENDING: VIDEO: Laura Loomer says ‘I’m not conceding,’ claims voter fraud in Fla. primary | Can I get a DUI for using marijuana? Trooper Steve explains | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
According to Marceno, SRO and K-9 handler Dave Jennings, who also happens to be a former gator trapper, wrangled the alligator.
Video shows him sitting on the gator, helping to tie it up and tape its mouth shut before removing it from the school.
The sheriff’s office said the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission then took the gator and relocated it to a safe area.
This 7 ft. gator greeted students during drop-off at Lexington Middle School this morning! 🐊
— Carmine Marceno - Florida’s Law and Order Sheriff (@SheriffLeeFL) August 24, 2022
SRO K9 handler Jennings,a former gator trapper, wrangled the visitor.
The alligator was taken by FWC where it will be relocated to a safe area pic.twitter.com/rxdyOtXgdq
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below: