Posted on 07/28/2010 7:14:32 PM PDT by nickcarraway
It may be finally be a death sentence for an elusive alligator that's been terrorizing a St. Pete neighborhood for close to two years now.
"It's pretty scary, I got three little ones," says Dion Del Rio. She and her three sons have only been living in St. Pete for a few weeks now, but already they've heard the warnings about a 10-foot alligator lurking in the canals near their 11th St. home.
Photo Gallery: Death sentence for St. Pete gator
"There's been times I'll take them to the edge of the water just to see the hermit crabs," says Del Rio, "and anything could have happened and I didn't know about it."
On Monday, local residents say the menacing reptile struck again.
"The alligator ate somebody's dog," says Del Rio's 6-year-old son.
There are reports of the alligator devouring a pet that had been walking along side the canal.
"It's my responsibility to get him," says local alligator trapper Charles Carpenter.
Carpenter is already well-known in the area as a local "Crocodile Dundee," but he can now tack-on the nickname "James Bond."
Yesterday, state fish and wildlife officials granted him a 007-like "license to kill:" permission to shoot the gator on sight.
"I don't really want to think of it like that," Carpenter says chuckling, "But I can see the analogy."
Until now, local laws made it illegal to discharge a weapon anywhere in Pinellas County. So Carpenter asked FWC for special permission.
They discussed the urgency of the situation with officials in Pinellas County, and the special shoot-to-kill exception was granted.
Carpenter says the elusive gator has found hiding places which make it difficult -- if not dangerous -- to trap him by conventional means. So he's glad Pinellas County has re-considered.
Residents like Dion Del Rio say they're glad too.
"I completely agree with that," she says, "and I'm happy they're doing that."
"We get him to stick his head out one evening and we'll be able to take a shot at him," says Carpenter, "and hopefully we'll solve the problem and let everybody move on."
Carpenter says he personally hasn't seen the gator yet.
He also says he's obligated to notify local law enforcement before opening fire so they'll be aware of his actions.
Those muslim extremist gators, they are usually hiding, close to their koran, well camoflaged. Hey we’re in the country of ingenuity, dogs first (no pigs), Americans (non muslim) next.
Oh ya General Pershing wrapped his muslim problem, after killing them, in pig skins, then sent them home. The muslim extremist problem went away. Wonder why that happened...
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