A Louisiana man was arrested after illegally entering an alligator enclosure for a stunt he hoped would go viral on social media.
Jacob Pursifull, 20, “jumped over a fence to unlawfully enter” Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., according to the Tampa Police Department.
Once in the park, he then made his way into the alligator enclosure along with two friends, actions that police say were captured by surveillance cameras.
Pursifull proceeded to mimic former Australian television personality Steve Irwin as security shouted at him.
Police used the video, uploaded to TikTok, and the surveillance footage to identify Pursifull, who was arrested Monday and charged with burglary, trespassing and theft of services.
“We will not tolerate this blatant disregard of our safety rules and are working with law enforcement on this matter. The safety and well-being of our guests, ambassadors, and animals remain a top priority,” Busch Gardens said in a statement.
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