An alligator has killed a Texas man after he ignored warnings and went for a late-night swim in a creek, US media reports.
The body of Tommy Woodward, 28, was found floating 800 metres from the bayou in south-east Texas where he was last seen swimming, according the USA Today newspaper and other outlets.
Mr Woodward went swimming with a companion around 2:30am when the pair spotted an 11-foot (3.35-metre) gator.
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Judge Rodney Price told local news channel KFDM the man had ignored signs about alligators in the water, including one which read “No swimming – alligators”.
“[Mr Woodward] made the ill-considered decision to go into the water,” Mr Price said.
“Someone shouted a warning, and he said ‘blank the alligators’ and thereupon jumped into the water and almost immediately yelled for help.”
Witness Michelle Wright told KFDM she saw the huge reptile attack Mr Woodward.
“I asked him please do not go swimming, there’s a bigger alligator out here, please stay out of the water,” she said.
“The next thing I know, this girl is screaming, ‘an alligator has got him, an alligator has got him!'”
A moment later, Ms Wright said she saw the man’s body face down on the surface of the water.
“He’s up there for a couple seconds and then he gets dragged back down and pulled off,” she said.
“And then he comes back up, still face down, and then he gets pulled down again, and then he just disappears.”
Mr Woodward’s body later was found with puncture wounds to his upper chest and left arm.
Police said an autopsy was pending.
News reports said people in the area – including small children – regularly swum in the bayou.
“I mean, kids are out here swimming in the bayou every day with three or four footers,” police captain Robert Enmon said.
Live News
