When Eugene Bozzi of Mount Dora, Florida, saw a giant alligator at his neighbor’s door step, his first thought was to protect his seven daughters and the neighborhood kids who were playing outside.
The 26-year-old Army veteran thought it was a baby gator at first, but as he got closer, he realized just how big it was.
But that didn’t stop him from trapping the gator before it could harm anyone.
A brave Bozzi quickly grabs a nearby recycling trash can and approaches the alligator. The gator slowly backs away, but Bozzi doesn’t give up and eventually is able to get the gator inside the container. He brings the can up and closes the lid on it as neighbors cheer.
“I used the front like a hippo mouth,” Bozzi told USA Today. “I saw that he was more timid and he was backing down, so that’s why I knew I had the advantage.”
Bozzi took the gator to a grassy area near a body of water and let the gator out of the can into the bushes. Luckily, the gator wasn’t injured and neither was anyone else.
Although Bozzi successfully trapped and freed the alligator, this is a very dangerous situation and one that is best left to professionals.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has put out a warning to the public on Twitter:
“Concerned about an alligator? Don’t grab a garbage can. Call our hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286) and we can dispatch a REAL alligator trapper.”