Tommie Woodward (Picture: AP)

Warning signs for alligators are not just there for amusement as this young man sadly found out.

Tommie Woodward ignored the signs about alligators on the Sabine River in Texas jumping into the water and was quickly attacked by the reptile predators..

Orange County official Rodney Price told KFDM 6: ‘He removed his shirt, removed his billfold…someone shouted a warning and he said “blank the alligators” and jumped into the water and almost immediately yelled for help.’



The awful scene was witnessed by Michelle Wright, a waitress at a nearby restaurant who said: ‘'Next thing I know this girl is screaming “an alligator’s got him, an alligator’s got him”’

‘I don’t even know how long it was, I saw his body floating face down and then he’s up there for a couple seconds and then he gets dragged back down and pulled off.’



Woodward was the first person to be killed by alligators since 1836.

Authorities claim that recent flooding had displaced the predators during breeding season making them more territorial and aggressive.

