Latest news with #Gualillo
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
Another Atlantic Beach coyote attack reported, man bitten, officer shot at it
Another coyote attack has been reported in Atlantic Beach. Police Chief Victor Gualillo told Action News Jax the most recent attack occurred late Wednesday by a man who was walking his dog. Gualillo said that man was bitten. 'He picked the coyote up by the scruff of its neck and when he dropped it, the coyote bit him on the foot or leg,' the chief said. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Not long after that attack, Gualillo said one of his officers spotted the coyote, 'and shot at it after it came toward him,' he said. Officers looked for the animal in a wooded area and could not verify if the animal was hit, the chief said. Wednesday night's encounter is the fifth person reportedly attacked by the coyote in the city in two days. 'We believe it's one coyote,' Gualillo said. 'The ones we've seen out there from reports from the citizens, we believe it is one coyote. We don't believe it is rabid. Nothing about the behavior of the coyote suggests anything unusual.' Atlantic Beach Mayor Curtis Ford is urging residents to keep their animals inside. Read: Reported coyote attacks under investigation in Atlantic Beach Previous attacks include a person who was bitten by the animal Tuesday and another incident where a person was bitten Wednesday morning. Another attack was reported Wednesday, but that person was not bitten because their dog fended off the animal, an Atlantic Beach social media post states. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] • Immediately report all coyote sightings and incidents to 911. Provide as much detail as possible about the location, time, and what you observed. This is especially important given the recent attacks. • Be extra vigilant and pay close attention to your surroundings, particularly during dawn and dusk. • Keep pets inside. • Secure all potential food sources: o Don't leave pet food or water outside. o Make sure garbage cans are tightly sealed. o Pick up any fallen fruit from trees in your yard. o Never feed wildlife. • Haze any coyotes you encounter to make them feel unwelcome: o Make loud noises like shouting, clapping, or banging pots. o Try to look bigger by waving your arms above your head. o Throw small objects in the coyote's direction. o Use noisemakers such as whistles or air horns. • Closely supervise children. • Check your property for potential coyote hiding spots, such as under porches or sheds, and consider trimming low-lying vegetation. • Do not approach or feed coyotes. This can make them lose their fear of people and become bolder. • Do not run from a coyote. Running might trigger its chase instinct. Instead, stand your ground and try to haze it. • Do not leave small children or pets unattended outdoors. • Do not assume coyotes are harmless. Even if they seem curious or playful, they are still wild animals and can be unpredictable. • Do not try to capture or handle a coyote yourself. Leave this to trained animal control professionals. Read: Man falls from 21-foot Clemente Wall at PNC Park during Pirates game [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Keep your animals inside': Reported coyote attacks under investigation in Atlantic Beach
The hunt is on for an aggressive coyote in Atlantic Beach. In the last 24 hours, a coyote bit one person and injured a dog. These attacks were confirmed to Action News Jax by the Atlantic Beach Police Department. But Facebook posts suggest there could have been additional attacks. All of these incidents appear to center around the Begonia Street area. 'Right now, because we had several incidents in a 24-hour period, it's appropriate that you keep your animals inside the home and don't let them run loose,' Atlantic Beach Mayor Curtis Ford said. We spoke with Mayor Ford and Atlantic Beach Police Chief Victor Gualillo to get an update on the investigation. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'We believe it's one coyote,' Gualillo said. 'The ones we've seen out there from reports from the citizens, we believe it is one coyote. We don't believe it is rabid. Nothing about the behavior of the coyote suggests anything unusual.' However, these incidents are leaving residents unsettled. Katie Pacetti is a mother of a 3-year-old and a dog owner. She saw the coyote firsthand Wednesday morning. She said she's not taking any chances with her babies. 'I'm definitely probably not going to let either one of them in the yard by themselves at all until the coyote is taken care of,' Pacetti said. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Gualillo said police only learned about the coyote through a social media post Wednesday morning. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is leading the investigation. They sent us this statement: 'The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is aware of recent reports of human-coyote incidents in the City of Atlantic Beach between April 29 and April 30, 2025. Staff are currently investigating the reported incidents and are in contact with the City. 'Unprovoked aggressive behavior from coyotes is unusual. If a coyote is approaching people closely, allowing people to approach closely, or acting in an aggressive manner, we ask that people contact the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (8922). More information about coyotes in Florida can be found at We also asked FWC if they believe the coyote is rabid and how they are going about trapping it. They said they could not comment on it at this time. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
