La. man arrested for allegedly jumping into Fla. gator exhibit for social media stunt

A 20-year-old man from Prairieville, La. has been identified as the person who illegally entered an alligator enclosure at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla.
Published: Jun. 9, 2023 at 11:24 AM CDT|Updated: Jun. 9, 2023 at 4:22 PM CDT

Tampa, Fla. (WAFB) - A 20-year-old man from Prairieville, La. has been identified as the person who illegally entered an alligator enclosure at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla. as part of a social media stunt, officials said.

According to Tampa police, Jacob Pursifull “jumped over a fence to unlawfully enter the park on the afternoon of June 1” and entered the alligator enclosure with two others, one of who filmed him.

Police said they arrested Pursifull on Monday, June 5, for the incident and booked him into Orient Road Jail on the charges of burglary, theft of services, and trespassing.

Jacob Pursifull(Tampa Police Department)

Surveillance video captured him and his accomplices illegally entering the park, according to arrest records. Records also state he yelled at the crowd while inside the alligator enclosure and then jumped back over the fence and fled the park.

Linked social media posts of the uploaded video on TikTok helped investigators identify Pursifull as the suspect and find him, officials added.

Jail records show Pursifull has been released.

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