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Watch: Tourists panic after 6-foot alligator suddenly appears outside motel in Virginia
The large reptile was captured by the Fairfax County Police Department after a caller reported seeing it near a room.
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A 6-foot alligator was caught casually strolling outside a motel room in Virginia's Fairfax County, nearly 20 miles south of Washington DC. Panicked by the situation, people in the area immediately called the police, who responded shortly after midnight.
The alligator was captured by the Fairfax County Police Department after a caller reported seeing it near a room.
Viral alligator video from Virginia
A video of the alligator was shared by Fairfax County Police on X. One of the cops can be heard saying, “Damn! That is an alligator! There is actually an alligator outside the hotel.”
The body camera of the officer even captures the moment he stopped after seeing the alligator. Estimating its size, one of the police officials stated that if he laid down next to it, then the reptile would be around 6-feet long.
The bystanders tried to take a look as the officer eventually managed to lead the alligator away from the property.
Police officials told BBC that the owner was transporting the alligator to a North Carolina zoo from New York when it escaped. The incident took place in the early hours of Monday, June 16.
The tourists were shocked to see the alligator outside their motel room door.
While the alligator was handed back to the owner, the person was asked to leave the county, as per the law. The Virginia code prohibits possession of certain non-native, exotic animals.
According to BBC, the alligator and its owner were later escorted out of the county, officials said.
In the comments section of the viral post, several people shared their views on the matter.
"Please tell me there aren't alligators in FFX. I'll need to move north if there are," one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Another joked, "Maybe he was just here for the parade."
FAQs
1. What does the Virginia Code say on this matter?
In the US state, it is a misdemeanor “to keep the reptile in any manner that will permit its escape or to knowingly permit the reptile to run at large”.
2. When was the alligator located?
It was seen outside a motel room in Virginia's Fairfax County on Monday morning.
3. What did the police do with the reptile?
The police escorted the alligator and its owner out of the county.
