A 20-year-old Louisiana man is facing burglary, trespassing, and theft of services charges after entering an alligator pit in Florida, local police said in a news release. One person filmed Jacob Pursifull allegedly trespassing and uploaded a video to social media, leading to some online speculation the misguided stunt was performed in pursuit of social media fame.
Pursifull allegedly jumped the fence of a theme park Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida and made his way to an alligator enclosure, police said. Two others were present, but are not facing charges, according to police.
In a TikTok video believed to document the event, Pursifull is shown near the alligator habitat mimicking the accent and mannerisms of the late Australian wildlife enthusiast Steve Irwin. Security is heard yelling at Pursifull to leave the enclosure.
Investigators used the social media posts to identify and locate Pursifull. After issuing an arrest warrant for Pursifull, detectives apprehended him and took him into custody Monday evening, according to officials. He was booked into a local jail.
“We will not tolerate this blatant disregard of our safety rules and are working with law enforcement on this matter. The safety and well-being of our guests, ambassadors, and animals remain a top priority,” the theme park told NBC News affiliate in Tampa Bay WFLA.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
