Fla. man bitten by gator while gardening: 'I don’t want to see the gator hurt'

William Bechard, 68, was bitten on the arm. He was taken to Florida Hospital Waterman and released Wednesday night.

Bechard was attacked while pulling weeds outside his home, which is on a canal on Lynn Circle in Tavares.

Bechard said he is shaken up by the incident, but won’t let that stop him from going near the water.

“I was pulling out the weeds and all I (felt) was pressure. No splash, no nothing, and I got up like this and it splashed right here,” he said.

Bechard said it happened so fast he never saw the alligator.

“I thought he was going to pull me into the water,” he said. “He could have easily dragged me into the water. He just let go. He just let go."

Resident Stephanie Barrett was one of the first to come to Bechard’s aid.

“That alligator had to jump at least 2 feet to get him,” she said.

Bechard sustained lacerations and puncture wounds and had to get multiple stitches.

Trappers set out bait for the alligator.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officers caught a 7-foot alligator they believe is the one that attacked Bechard.

“I don’t want to see the gator hurt. He was just trying to get something to eat I guess,” Bechard said.

Residents said it’s the first time they’ve heard of someone being attacked by an alligator from the canal.

“Very shocking because we think somebody around here might be feeding them. None of us do, but for him to jump out like that, it was like he was expecting food,” said Barrett.

FWC officers said it's possible the alligator had been fed.