[fizzbyn]

A few weeks ago we saw a police car with flashing lights parked on the west side of Buena Vista, across from the Palmer gator-pond. On our way back from 466, there were more police cars and a few golf carts lined up watching. Seems an 11.5 ft, 400 lb alligator had crossed Buena Vista and bit a 3-inch hole in one of the police car bumpers. When we got there, he was partially hidden in the bushes, but we could make out his head from a distance once it was pointed out. He didn't move after that. Apparently his mouth was bleeding, injured from the bumper bite. They called a gator removal company who finally showed up in a white truck with an aluminum boat on top. The girl was wearing a tank top and shorts... not my idea of what one should wear for gator retrieval. The police kept coming across the street to give us updates and they finally told us that the gator had to be put down because he was injured, aggressive and unafraid of people, so to be prepared for a gun shot. The shot came and the gator was hauled into the back of the truck and was gone. Sad to see that had to happen. We love our alligators... from a distance.