A Melbourne man was hospitalized Monday morning after an alligator attacked him near the U.S. 1 underpass not far from downtown Melbourne.

  • Homeless man went for a swim at US 1 underpass
  • Melbourne Police were training in area when they heard screams
  • Man suffered severe shoulder wounds in suspected gator attack

Wildlife officers think they're looking for an 8-foot-long alligator that attacked the known homeless man after he went for a swim at the underpass.

Melbourne Police were in the area training at about 9 a.m. when they heard screams. That's when they found the man lying on the shore with deep bite marks on his shoulder and arm.

Five boats from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were out Monday searching for the alligator.

Alligators are “really territorial, so we are hoping it stayed in this area and we can locate it,” FWC Officer Chad Weber said.

The man who was bit has not been identified. He was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center with severe shoulder wounds but is expected to recover.

“Being a native Floridian, it’s definitely something I'm aware of. Any body of water here has a potential for an alligator," resident Elisha Berhannan said. "But we have a lot of tourists and vistiors in this area, and I don’t think it’s something they’re aware of.”

Wildlife officials said this is the first time a reported gator attack has happened in this area. It's the City of Melbourne's decision whether to post alligator warning signs along the portion of roadway near the attack.