A Florida man became popular online after he was filmed trapping an alligator using a trash can to save his kids from a possible attack.

In a viral video seen by millions of viewers, 26-year-old Eugene Bozzi is seen using a trash can to fight off an alligator loitering in a neighbor's front yard. 

Florida Man in Viral Video Captures an Alligator

At first, the Florida man can be seen in the viral video approaching the alligator with an open trash container, which he seemed to use as an improvised trap. 

The alligator slowly backed away while Bozzi was coming for the animal. However, the military veteran cornered the alligator and forced it into the trash can.

Bozzi then closed the lid down as it went inside the trash can, and the alligator, which fit inside the container, freaked out. The Florida man then brought the container up while nearby onlookers cheered him for his bravery.

Bozzi told USA Today that he only knew about the alligator from his kids, and he thought it was a baby alligator. But after he saw how big it was, he knew he had to take action, given that his children, as well as other neighborhood kids, were playing outside of his home.

Bozzi and his family were living in Mount Dora, Florida, which is about 20 miles northwest of the city of Orlando. He noted that he was serious about removing the alligator because it might attack someone, and he believed it was hungry.

Bozzi said the only thing that came into his mind was protecting his kids and the other children playing outside their home.

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Army Veteran Saves the Kids and the Alligator

Eugene Bozzi is a U.S. Army veteran who decided to grab the recycling bin from his home to try to trap the alligator. He admitted that he initially had a bad angle, and the gator could have taken a shot at him. However, he believed that the bin hitting the alligator on its head threw it off.

Bozzi said he used the front of the trash container like a hippo mouth, and when he saw that the alligator was timid and backing down, he knew that he had the advantage.

When the alligator was secured in the trash can, around 40 individuals watching the encounter started to clap and cheer on the Florida man. Bozzi noted that one of the kids' mothers thanked him profusely for his efforts.

Social media users also felt the same way about the situation after realizing how bad it could have gone. After securing the alligator, Bozzi took it down to a bushy area with a body of water, where he kicked the bin down and ran off. The alligator then crawled out before disappearing into the bushes.

Eugene Bozzi said the alligator didn't appear to be hurt, and no humans were injured during the event.

The Florida man said he's still absorbing all the social media attention he has gotten from it, but he definitely does not feel like a hero. He emphasized that he only did what he was supposed to do at the time, and it made him more comfortable.

READ MORE: Florida Female Paddleboarder Survives Possible Alligator Attack Using Her Oar 

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Florida Man Uses Trash Bin to Catch Alligator - From FOX 35 Orlando