A viral video has surfaced of a Florida police officer seemingly using a broom to sweep away an alligator near the entrance of a restaurant. Local authorities jokingly stated that the alligator was just looking for some breakfast during the video.
Florida police officials had to escort a wild alligator out of a nearby restaurant last week after the restaurant’s employees found the wild animal waiting outside the facility during opening hours. Deputies of the Manatee County Sherriff’s Office were dispatched to the call of an alligator sighting at Peach’s Restaurant on SR 70 in Bradenton, Florida last Thursday. As police arrived on the scene, they found what was a nearly five-foot-long alligator outside the entrance of Peach’s Restaurant.
The viral video released by the MCSO depicted two Sheriff’s deputies escorting the alligator off the premises while using a broom to avoid contact with the dangerous animal. The video shows the alligator being pushed with the broom down a ramp entrance, moving its legs from side to side. Officers then proceeded to escort the alligator off the premises and into a nearby stretch of woods. As the two officers and the alligator made it to the wooded area, the video shows the alligator crawling up a curb, while showing some resistance to the officers before the animal eventually walked off back into its natural habitat.
Following the comical incident, MCSO took to Facebook to provide residents with an update regarding the situation. The post from MSCO read that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that the alligator was aware of that. The post stated that the incident occurred around 6 a.m. and that Deput Hartley of the MSCO “kindly” swept the alligator away to a more, “comfortable wooded area”.
Florida wildlife officials have warned that people should always maintain a safe distance from alligators as they are dangerous wild animals if they are suddenly provoked.
