An alligator knocked on a man’s front door in the late evening, looking for a mate.
According to the Daytona Police Department, an alligator attacked a Florida man who opened his front door late at night after hearing a ruckus coming from the porch.
The incident happened on March 4 at around 9:42 p.m. at a residence on Champions Drive in Daytona Beach, according to a police press release.
According to Carrie McCallister, a Daytona Beach Police Department spokeswoman, the victim survived the nightmarish attack.
The victim, Scott Hollingsworth, 56, opened the door and was met with a huge shock when the alligator lunged at him, bit into his upper thigh, and began violently shaking him.
Despite being overrun by the alligator, the resident was able to escape and dial 911 while still inside his home. His injuries were treated at a nearby hospital and by first responders.
When responding officers discovered the alligator still hanging out at the resident’s front door, they contacted Florida Fish and Wildlife officials, who then notified state-licensed trapper Curtis Lucas to trap and capture the critter.
According to McCallister, the alligator moved from the front porch and over to a nearby trailer before the state trapper arrived.
Trapper Lucas confirmed that the alligator was about 7 feet, 10 inches long. He had to kill the reptile, as is customary when animals attack humans.
The terrifying incident occurred in a neighborhood near a golf club with numerous ponds. Hollingsworth’s family claimed they had previously seen alligators in the area, and authorities believe the ponds were the alligator’s home.
Hollingsworth later stated that his knee was intact, which was his main concern following the incident.
Curtis Lucas warned that alligator mating season was soon approaching and that residents in the area should expect to see them out in the open more than usual as they seek mates.
