Assault By Alligator: Florida Man Chases Customers in Convenience Store With Gator

New reports in Jacksonville, Florida  show a man chasing customers in a convenience story with a live gator chased.  Strangely it is the wildlife officials who announced that they are investigating (as they should) but not the local police. Last time I check, assault was still a crime and brandishing an alligator would appear to fit the definition.

The man is laughing with his friends as he runs into the story and chases customers.  It is an incredibly obnoxious and cruel joke.

 

 

Florida defines assault as:

784.011 Assault.—

(1) An “assault” is an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent.

(2) Whoever commits an assault shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

The media is quoting a man who The shared the video  named Robby Stratton, but it is not clear if he was one of these idiots.  He posted a statement on Facebook saying “All I have to say is it was all fun and games. Everybody in the store was friends and everyone was laughing and having a good time. No one in the situation was scared or mad.

Do you think that there should be criminal charges beyond the obvious cruelty to animals or wildlife violations?