Florida Man Accused of Poaching Alligator

PENSACOLA, Fla. – A man charged with illegally hunting an alligator said he shot into the water to protect his daughter.

Michael Vann, 45, has been ordered to appear in court June 10 to face a felony charge. But he said a 4- to 5-foot gator charged his 9-year-old daughter while she was fishing about 400 feet from their home, and it sank after he fired.

“It was something primal in a father’s mind because it was obviously trying to attack my daughter, so I shot it,” Vann said after his arrest Friday. “I didn’t feel comfortable about it.”

Vann, a high school dean, said the alligator has been around his unfenced backyard for nearly two weeks. He said he repeatedly tried to call the state wildlife commission but couldn’t get through.

Alligators are active in spring because of the start of mating season and increased feeding activity after a dormant winter.