Alligator bites Texas officer: Cleveland Police Sgt. David Edwards undergoes surgery after attempting to cage a reptile on the loose

CLEVELAND, Texas (KTRK) — A police sergeant in flood-ravaged Cleveland stood before the scales of justice and was bitten right on the hand.

According to Cleveland police, Sgt. David Edwards was among the officers and deputies who attempted to remove a loose alligator from the State Highway 105 bypass west of US 59 just before 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Police said Edwards was trying to put the reptile in a snare to remove it from the road when it bit the sergeant’s hand.

Edwards fell, leaving him with a broken hand and scratches and cuts on his arm, police said.

Edwards required surgery and is on the road to recovery.

Police noted that they had requested assistance from the Texas Game Wardens, but believed they were connected to flood-related activities.

Meanwhile, the alligator attack left authorities to decide its fate. Cleveland police said it needed to be shut down and disposed of.

Cleveland was among the communities affected by rising water levels on the East Fork of the San Jacinto River. Police said the flooding has caused an increase in calls about alligators outside their usual habitat.