Gator Attacks 6-Year-Old: Florida Boy Suffers Minor Injuries After Run In With 8-Foot Animal

A 6-year-old boy from South Florida suffered minor injuries after he was attacked by an alligator, according to The Epoch Times.

According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the attack occurred after Joey Welch of Pompano Beach stumbled into it the water at the end of a boat ramp in the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

“I went in it and there was a splash. The alligator just swam into me and clamped my arm,” Joey told WLPG-TV. “I didn’t want to play tug-of-war with the alligator and get his arm ripped off.”

Joey’s father, Joseph Welcher, and other bystanders kicked and punched the 8-foot gator until help arrived on the scene.

"This good Samaritan kicked the gator underneath the belly about 3 to 4 times, and the gator decided after getting kicked and punched, he finally released him and I was able to get my son and walk to shore," said Welch according to Local10.com.

Joey was taken to Holy Cross Hospital. According to doctors, it was ridiculous that Joey’s arm remained attached to his body.

"He could have squished my son's arm like a cracker," Joseph Welch said.

“We are extremely relieved the child made it out of this potentially deadly incident with only minor injuries,” said Rolf Olson, an official from the wildlife refuge. “This really could have ended very badly. We thank the members of the public who saw this happening and selflessly rushed in to do the right thing.”

According to the USFWS, trappers—licensed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Comission—caught the gator and put it down.