Deputy wrangles gator, rides in patrol car, the Osceola Sheriff's Office says

Published November 4, 2026 12:50 PM EST

Deputy wrangles gator found in tourist-heavy plaza. Credit: Osceola County Sheriff's Office

Deputies captured a gator that was roaming around a heavy tourist populated plaza, according to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office.

Deputy wrangles gator near tourist plaza

The backstory:

According to a news release, Osceola County deputies responded to a call on Halloween afternoon about a gator walking around the parking lot near the Celebration Hardware Company.

When deputies arrived, they found people standing nearby and a gator caught between a fence.

Tourists get the full Florida experience

Body camera footage shows Deputy Nicholas Pippin pulling the gator out of a fence and taping its snout. Pippin has had previous experience handling gators.

Tourists react to a deputy holding a gator found in a plaza. Credit: Osceola County Sheriff's Office

Catch and release

What's next:

Pippin used his patrol car to transport the gator to Lake Cecile where it was untaped and released, a news release said.

The Source: This article was written with information gathered from a news release and Facebook post by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office.

Osceola County NewsWild NatureAlligators