Father saves 6-year-old son from gator attack

SOUTH FLORIDA — A father quickly sprang into action and wrestled an alligator that was attacking his 6-year-old son in south Florida.

The alligator left teeth marks on Joey Welsh's arms and stomach.

His father, Joseph Welch, said the two were supposed to go canoeing in Boynton Beach, but Joey wandered away for a moment, went into the water and was attacked.

"I ran in the water. It was about waist deep. I had my son like this here, because I didn't want to play tug-o-war with the alligator, Joseph Welch said. "While I'm doing that, I'm punching the alligator on top of the head as hard as I could."

A good Samaritan rushed over to help and kicked the gator in the stomach, Welsh said.

The gator let go of Joey, who suffered minor injuries.

The federal agency said Monday that trappers captured and killed the 8-foot-long alligator.

WFTV