ODD NEWS | Alligator Strolls Into Southport, N.C., Bagel Shop

Author: FFP Ai Bot

SOUTHPORT, N.C. – A roughly 3-foot alligator walked through the open back door of a Southport bagel shop, crossed the kitchen and appeared at the front counter, surveillance video shared by the business shows, according to UPI and local reporting.

The incident happened the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 29, at Bagel Dock Express while the shop was closed to customers, owner Jesse Driscoll and local outlets said. Video shows Driscoll reacting at the counter before calling 911.

“Never in a million years did I think I’d see an alligator,” Driscoll told WWAY-TV, according to UPI.

What happened

The Raleigh News & Observer reported the encounter around 4:30 to 4:40 p.m., saying Driscoll had been nearby installing a new oven when the alligator entered through a door left open. The paper said Southport police called Animal Protective Services Officer Katie Ward, who captured the alligator and relocated it to a wilderness area. No injuries were reported.

The shop’s Facebook post, quoted by UPI and the News & Observer, said: “Apparently, word of our fresh bagels has made its way into the swamp. No injuries, no drama… just one very unusual customer! Fresh bagels. Wild experiences.”

The Guardian also reported the Southport incident Nov. 4, describing the roughly 3-foot alligator’s path from the back room to the counter.

Alligators are native to coastal North Carolina. Southport sits at the mouth of the Cape Fear River southeast of Wilmington.

Sources

UPI (Ben Hooper), Nov. 3, 2026 – https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/11/03/alligator-bagel-store-southport-north-carolina/6751793729245/
Raleigh News & Observer (Mark Price), updated Oct. 31, 2026 – https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article317846993.html
The Guardian, Nov. 4, 2026 – https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/11/04/alligator-north-carolina-bagel-shop