Influencer Faces Legal Backlash After Allegedly Shooting Alligator in Everglades: Controversy Sparks Wildlife Protection Debate

An influencer known as Clavicular, who focuses on ‘looksmaxxing,’ is facing legal consequences after reportedly firing shots at an alligator in Florida’s Everglades during a live broadcast.

Braden Peters, the real name behind the Kick streamer and TikTok content creator, was discreetly charged on April 29, along with two associates.

Documents from the Miami-Dade State’s Attorney’s Office, reviewed by the Daily Mail, reveal that Peters is accused of “unlawfully and knowingly discharging a firearm in a public place” on March 26.

Footage shared online shows the 20-year-old wielding a handgun, aiming into the murky waters from an airboat at the Francis S. Taylor Everglades Wildlife Management Area, according to NBC Miami.

The video captures Peters apparently firing over a dozen rounds at a stationary alligator, motionless in the swamp.

‘I think that gator is…,’ said one of the bystanders in the video obtained by TMZ. 

‘Just got to make sure,’ said Peters before firing another round. ‘Yeah, I think it’s dead.’

Social media stars Andrew ‘Cuban Tarzan’ Morales and Yabdiel Anibal Torres Cotto allegedly joined Peters on the water and faced the same charges.

Braden Peters, better known online as Clavicular, was charged with unlawfully and knowingly discharging a firearm in a public place on April 29

Peters posted a video in which he allegedly shot at an alligator in the Florida Everglades

The footage prompted a criminal investigation from the Miami-Dade District Attorney’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). 

‘The FWC is aware of a video depicting individuals in the Everglades on an airboat who appear to be discharging firearms at an alligator,’ the FWC wrote on X at the time. 

‘FWC officers are looking into the incident and will provide additional information when available.’ 

Attorneys Steven Kramer and Jeffery Neiman, who are representing Peters, told the Daily Mail that ‘no animals’ were harmed in the controversial clip. 

‘Our client has been summoned to appear for a misdemeanor charge that stems from following the instructions of a licensed airboat guide,’ they said. 

‘He relied on that guidance. No animals or people were harmed. We are confident that once the full picture is understood, people will see this for what it is.’

In Florida, intentionally shooting an alligator or crocodile without authorization is a federal offense.

Peters, Morales and Torres are scheduled to be arraigned on May 20.

Peters’ (pictured) attorneys alleged that no animals were harmed in the video

Morales’s attorney Richard L Cooper told NBC that the men ‘relied on information and guidance provided by those in authority and had no criminal intent.’

‘We urge the public not to rush to judgment. Importantly, there is no allegation that any animal was injured, and the available evidence does not support the sensationalized narrative that has circulated online,’ he said.

This isn’t Peters’ first bout with legal trouble. 

Within days of his alleged alligator escapades, the influencer was arrested for a misdemeanor assault charge.

His arrest was allegedly in connection with a physical altercation involving his girlfriend, known as Violet, and influencer Jenny Popach, the Daily Mail previously reported.

The altercation unfolded during a Kick livestream earlier this year that racked up hundreds of thousands of views online, with the pair seen hitting and pulling each other’s hair inside a house before being separated.

In April, Peters was hospitalized for an alleged overdose, the Los Angeles Times reported.  

Peters was arrested in march on assault charges shortly after allegedly shooting at the alligator

Peters gained popularity in 2025 for his extreme methodology for weight loss and improving his visual appearance

He rose to popularity in 2025, accruing almost one million followers on TikTok and more than 300,000 subscribers on Kick.

He popularized ‘looksmaxxing,’ which promotes fitness, medications and grooming to improve physical appearance. 

According to ABC 11, Peters allegedly promoted the use of methamphetamines for weight loss and intentionally breaking bones to improve facial structure.

He has been heavily criticized by medical professionals for ‘dangerous’ methodology.

The Daily Mail contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and representation for Morales for comment.