Full story
Everglades alligator shooting
“Looksmaxxing” influencer Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Eric Peters, was charged by Florida authorities after prosecutors said he and two others unlawfully and knowingly discharged a firearm in a public place in connection with a March 26 incident at the Francis S. Taylor Everglades Wildlife Management Area boat ramp dock. Court records described the incident as occurring during a livestream in the Everglades, where Peters and others appeared to be firing shots at an alligator. ABC11 Raleigh-Durham reported that the viral video prompted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to announce it was launching an investigation, and that FWC officers “verified the veracity of the videos and identified the individuals.” The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office said it does not comment “on open, pending criminal cases,” as the case moved toward an arraignment scheduled for May 20.
“FWC officers investigated the incident, verified the veracity of the videos and identified the individuals”
Defense and co-defendants
Peters’ attorneys Steven Kramer and Jeffrey Neiman said the misdemeanor charge “stems from following the instructions of a licensed airboat guide,” and they added, “He relied on that guidance.” Richard L. Cooper, the attorney for Andrew Morales, said he “cautioned against drawing conclusions before all of the facts are fully examined,” and he argued there were “no allegations that any animal was harmed.” WPEC reported that Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle filed the charge on April 29, and it said Peters is facing one count of unlawfully discharging a firearm in a public place or on or over the right-of-way of a paved public road, highway or street, or over occupied premises. The same WPEC account said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was investigating a video circulating online that appeared to show Peters and others aboard an airboat in the Everglades shooting at an alligator.
Possible penalties and next steps
If convicted, the charge Peters faces is described as a misdemeanor count tied to discharging a firearm in a public place, with the Hollywood Reporter saying he faces a sentence of up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Miami Herald described the charge as a first-degree misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of one year in a county jail if convicted, and it said prosecutors charged Peters along with two other men on April 29. The Miami Herald also quoted State Attorney’s Office spokesman Ed Griffith saying, “If the alligator had been alive, that may have been a possibility,” while adding that investigators determined the reptile was dead before the men shot it. As the case proceeds, the Miami Herald reported that Peters was heard asking, “Is it dead,” and “So, can we shoot it?” while the video captured him and others firing more than 25 bullets into the alligator.
“Peters faces a sentence of up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine”
