Alligator invades Gulf Shores garage: ‘He was afraid of me and I was afraid of him’ (video)
GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) – Not the typical call for Gulf Shores Police Wednesday. “We were patrolling the streets and happened to get a call there was an alligator in a garage,” said Officer Gabe Trujillo.
They arrived at an address off Fort Morgan Road to find a six-foot alligator in David Whetstone’s garage. “He was afraid of me and I was afraid of him so it was a mutual fear situation.”
Armed with catch poles, rope and duct tape, “My partner jumped on top. I tried to grab the tail,” said Trujillo. “My partner held the mouth of the alligator shut and that’s when I tried to come and put some tape around it.”
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Eventually, the gator was taken into custody. “Alligators are part of our world if you live in Gulf Shores or on the Gulf Coast,” said Whetstone. “You have to expect other creatures to be around besides you.”
Especially this time of year. April is alligator mating season. William Phillips was one of the police officers that responded to the call. He is also a former wildlife officer. “The males are definitely more aggressive and territorial.”
The alligator was later released, unharmed into the wildlife refuge and for Trujillo, who joined the Gulf Shores Police Department just a month ago, it was a call he won’t forget. “I’ve been a police officer for three years now and this is the first time I’ve ever had to wrangle an alligator,” he said. “One more thing off the checklist.”
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