A Cuban resident in Florida became the star of a viral video after warning two young people who were about to enter the water in an area where a crocodile was lurking, in a clip published on Sunday on TikTok by Damián Sánchez (@damiansanchez6512).
In the images, which gathered over 88,700 views in less than 48 hours, Sánchez can be heard yelling desperately to stop the boys while pointing at the reptile moving through the water.
"Look, those two guys were about to go in there and I was the one shouting at everyone, you know? Why? There's a crocodile here," the Cuban narrates with evident alarm in the 58-second video.
Sánchez explains that he spotted the animal from afar and reacted immediately: "Look, look, look, I saw it coming from over there, and I had to let him know. 'Bro!'".
The Cuban also took the opportunity in the video to express his frustration about the recurring presence of the reptile in the area: "I'm tired of telling my mom to call those people and report it because one of us is going to get eaten here."
The episode takes place during a time of particular concern regarding attacks from these reptiles in Florida, where 2026 has recorded several serious incidents, including the death of a 31-year-old woman on June 28 in the Econlockhatchee River, in Seminole County, as confirmed by media outlets such as CNN and ABC News.
In May, another man lost his life to a crocodile attack at John S. Taylor State Park in Largo, near Tampa.
The Cuban community in Florida has been involved in a series of viral episodes related to these animals, although the reactions have been very different from those of Sánchez.
In April, a group of Cubans jumped into the water to take a swim despite having a crocodile in sight.
In June, the Cuban Wilian Díaz filmed a crocodile in a Miami canal just as he was about to go for a swim, and in May the influencer Andrew Morales, known as "Cuban Tarzan," faced criminal charges for shooting at an alligator in the Everglades.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) warns that swimming in channels inhabited by these reptiles is highly risky, especially at dawn, dusk, and during the night when the animals are most active.
Harassing, feeding, or capturing alligators or crocodiles in the state is illegal and may result in fines of up to $500 and up to 60 days in jail.
Florida is home to approximately 1.3 million American alligators and is one of the few states where the American crocodile also resides, primarily concentrated in the southern part of the state and the Everglades. To report a dangerous specimen, the FWC maintains the toll-free line 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
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