Man arrested after breaking into Florida theme park, hopping into alligator enclosure and filming video for social media, authorities say

LUANA: WELL AS WE WRAP UP 2022, WE’RE LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEW THRILLS BEING UNVEILED AT OUR CENTRAL FLORIDA THEME PARKS IN 2023. STEWART: FROM A SCI-FI ROLLER COASTER TO A COMPETITIVE BLASTER GAME, WESH 2’S MEGAN MELLADO HAS THE LINEUP. [SHRIEKS] MEGAN THAT’S THE SOUND OF : EXCITEMENT COMING FROM RIDERS ON THE TRON LIGHTCYCLE COASTER AT SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND. BUT SOON FANS OF THE DIGITAL WORLD WON’T HAVE TO TRAVEL TO CHINA TO RIDE IT. IT’LL BE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AT WALT DISNEY WORLD IN 2023. >> IT’S PRETTY BREATHTAKING. MEGAN: ROBB ALVEY WITH THEME PARK REVIEW GOT THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE SCI-FI ADVENTURE IN SHANGHAI. >> THE VISUALS WERE STUNNING BOTH OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE BUILDING. THE RIDE ITSELF WAS REALLY FUN. IT’S A HIGH-PACED THRILLING RIDE, BUT IT’S ALSO VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY AT THE SAME TIME. I THINK KIDS ARE GOING TO LOVE IT, AND ESPECIALLY WITH TRON AND SPACE MOUNTAIN KIND OF RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER, ALL OF A SUDDEN MAGIC KINGDOM IS GOING TO HAVE THIS LITTLE POCKET OF THRILL RIDES TUCKED AWAY IN THIS CORNER. MEGAN: OVER AT SEAWORLD, PIPELINE, THE SURF COASTER, IS ALSO SET TO DEBUT WITH ITS SURFBOARD-SHAPED RIDE VEHICLE. >> THIS WILL BE I THINK THE VERY FIRST STANDUP ROLLER COASTER THAT’LL HAVE BEEN BUILT IN 20-SOMETHING YEARS, SO IT’LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE EVOLUTION OF THAT STYLE OF ROLLER COASTER. AND ALSO THE COMPANY THAT’S BUILDING IT, THEY’VE ALSO BUILT MOST OF SEAWORLD’S OTHER COASTERS. YOU KNOW, KRAKEN, MAKO, MANTA, THEY ALL CAME FROM THE SAME COMPANY. MEGAN: UNIVERSAL ORLANDO WILL BE UNVEILING ILLUMINATION’S VILLAIN-CON MINION BLAST FEATURING AN INTERACTIVE BLASTER-GAME, CEMENTING WHAT THE THEME PARK IS CALLING A MINIONS-THEMED LAND IN THE HEART OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA. EPCOT WILL BE INTRODUCING NEW NEIGHBORHOODS AND EXPERIENCES, TOO. BUT ALVEY SAYS EVEN MORE IS YET TO COME. >> WE JUST SAW AT ANIMAL KINGDOM IN THE DINOSAUR AREA THEY JUST PULLED DOWN TWO OF , THOSE ROLLER COASTERS AND IF YOU KNOW DISNEY, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY TO PULL DOWN A RIDE IF THEY DON’T HAVE SOMETHING PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE. MEGAN: MEGAN MELLADO, WESH 2 NEWS.

A man is accused of breaking into a Florida theme park, jumping into an alligator enclosure and filming a video for social media – a dangerous stunt that authorities say led to his arrest.Video above: New attractions, experiences coming to Central Florida theme parks in 2023Police in Tampa Bay say Jacob Pursifull, 20, hopped a fence to enter Busch Gardens theme park illegally on June 1. He and two others went to the park’s alligator enclosure, which is outfitted with two layers of metal fencing, footage of the incident shows.Authorities say Pursifull entered the enclosure while one of the people with him recorded him, according to a news release from the Tampa Police Department.Onlookers can be seen in a video posted to social media showing Pursifull inside the enclosure, with some shouting at him to get out and that it was dangerous to get that close to the reptiles. Footage of the incident went viral online. “Another wild Karen. Crikey!” Pursifull can be heard saying in a clip cited by CNN affiliate WBBH.It is unclear whether Pursifull has legal representation.Authorities say he posted a video of the incident to social media. No video of the incident currently appears on social media accounts appearing to belong to Pursifull.Tampa police say leads from social media helped investigators identify and arrest Pursifull.He was taken into custody Monday on charges of theft of services, trespassing and burglary of an occupied structure, according to the release from police and the Hillsborough County jail’s website. Pursifull was released on an $8,500 bond Tuesday, booking information showed.It is unclear whether the two other people who police say snuck into the theme park with Pursifull will face charges. The Tampa Police Department did not immediately respond to an inquiry from CNN.

A man is accused of breaking into a Florida theme park, jumping into an alligator enclosure and filming a video for social media – a dangerous stunt that authorities say led to his arrest.

Video above: New attractions, experiences coming to Central Florida theme parks in 2023

Police in Tampa Bay say Jacob Pursifull, 20, hopped a fence to enter Busch Gardens theme park illegally on June 1. He and two others went to the park’s alligator enclosure, which is outfitted with two layers of metal fencing, footage of the incident shows.

Authorities say Pursifull entered the enclosure while one of the people with him recorded him, according to a news release from the Tampa Police Department.

Onlookers can be seen in a video posted to social media showing Pursifull inside the enclosure, with some shouting at him to get out and that it was dangerous to get that close to the reptiles. Footage of the incident went viral online.

“Another wild Karen. Crikey!” Pursifull can be heard saying in a clip cited by CNN affiliate WBBH.

It is unclear whether Pursifull has legal representation.

Authorities say he posted a video of the incident to social media. No video of the incident currently appears on social media accounts appearing to belong to Pursifull.

Tampa police say leads from social media helped investigators identify and arrest Pursifull.

He was taken into custody Monday on charges of theft of services, trespassing and burglary of an occupied structure, according to the release from police and the Hillsborough County jail’s website.

Pursifull was released on an $8,500 bond Tuesday, booking information showed.

It is unclear whether the two other people who police say snuck into the theme park with Pursifull will face charges. The Tampa Police Department did not immediately respond to an inquiry from CNN.

Man arrested after breaking into Florida theme park, hopping into alligator enclosure and filming video for social media, authorities say

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