A North Carolina bagel shop owner was focused on installing a new oven when a three-foot alligator wandered inside, interrupting the work and startling him.
Here's what to know
Bagel Dock Express owner Jesse Driscoll called 911 after the reptile entered his Southport storefront, according to WWAY. The shop was closed at the time, but Driscoll was working inside. Surveillance footage captured his surprise.
Get this, A three-foot alligator walked through a Southport bagel shop's kitchen and waited at the front counter. The owner picked up a chair. The committee is reviewing the back door. https://t.co/TXCdoIrCR0
— Dr. Acula (@Jy_weet_mos) November 1, 2026
"It's just so far out of the ordinary for a bagel shop," Driscoll said, per WWAY. "You can see lots of things. People coming in. Friends coming in to say hi. But never in a million years did I think I'd see an alligator. It was [as shocked] to see me as I was him."
More background
WWAY noted that North Carolina's coastal region is natural alligator habitat, placing Southport's homes and businesses within the animals' natural range.
Southport police have previously dealt with an eight-foot alligator at a bank drive-thru and a 12-foot alligator on a woman's doorstep.
As human development expands into natural habitats, interactions with wild animals increase, as the BBC has previously explained.
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What's being done?
Driscoll's 911 call brought Southport Police and Animal Protective Services to the shop, where they safely removed the alligator, WWAY reported. The responders had handled local alligator calls before.
Despite the surprise, the business found some humor in the interruption. "Apparently, word of our fresh bagels has made its way into the swamp!" Bagel Dock Express wrote on Facebook. "No injuries, no drama … just one very unusual customer! Fresh bagels. Wild experiences."
Where can I learn more?
Alligators have surprised people in plenty of places besides the Southport bagel shop. These stories cover encounters at homes and near schools, including one involving an alligator found restrained beside dumpsters.
• A North Carolina woman found an eight-foot alligator on her doormat after a late-night thud.
• In Coconut Creek, Fla., police relocated a 10-foot alligator found near a high school.
• Manatee County deputies underestimated a backyard alligator's size, leaving the eight-footer to a trapper.
• A Florida man who checks under his truck found an eight-footer in his carport.
• A Georgia middle school found an alligator leashed beside dumpsters, its mouth taped shut.
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