BeltLine python video stuns Atlanta, man behind footage speaks out: "That's not a regular snake"

What started as a routine walk along one of Atlanta's busiest trails quickly turned into something out of a movie.

Joseph Ragland says he and his friends were heading back from dinner near the Inman Park section of the BeltLine when they noticed a crowd forming ahead.

"At first, I didn't really know what to expect," Ragland told CBS News Atlanta. "We had just seen a possum earlier, so I'm thinking—maybe it's another animal."

But this was different.

People in the crowd kept repeating one word: snake.

Then Ragland saw it.

"I see this snake tail… as big as my calf," he said. "And I'm like—that's not a regular snake. That's not something native to here." 

A moment that quickly turned viral

Ragland pulled out his phone—instinctively.

"Cameraman never dies," he joked. 

What he captured next is now circulating across social media: a man stepping forward, pulling a massive snake from the bushes, and revealing what appeared to be a python stretching nearly 8 feet long across the BeltLine.

"I couldn't even see the head at first," Ragland said. "And I'm not touching a snake if I can't see its head." 

Then, suddenly— "Somebody's uncle just comes out… and starts yanking the snake out of the bush," he said.

Moments later, the snake was fully exposed.

"There's 10 full feet of snake just laying there… and everybody's freaking out," Ragland said. 

A chaotic scene on one of Atlanta's busiest trails

The Atlanta BeltLine, especially near Krog Street Market, is typically packed with walkers, runners, families, and pets on warm spring days.

That day was no different.

"You could feel the energy rising," Ragland said. "Everybody had their phones out. You just knew something was about to happen." 

And it did.

After pulling the snake out, the man reportedly walked off—leaving confusion in his wake.

Ragland says he later heard from someone still at the scene that the man appeared unusually comfortable around the animal.

"He was out there… hiding behind a bush, giggling," Ragland said. "That's one of the things that makes me think—it might have been his snake." 

Still, the exact origin of the python remains unclear.

"This feels like the opening scene of a movie"

As quickly as the moment escalated, Ragland and his friends decided it was time to go.

"My buddy said, 'This is some Final Destination… let's go,'" Ragland recalled.

They left before authorities—or anyone else—could confirm what happened next.

Not entirely surprising?

Despite the shock factor, Ragland says moments like this don't feel entirely out of place in Atlanta.

"Atlanta is a city in the middle of a forest," he said. "You never really know what you're gonna see." 

Then he added, with a laugh:

"We got boas on the BeltLine, lemurs on Edgewood, spaceships in Bankhead… I don't think anything surprises me anymore."

A reminder for BeltLine visitors

Ragland says the experience left him with one clear takeaway for anyone enjoying the BeltLine:

"Watch out," he said.

And more importantly:

"Don't touch any animals that you don't know." 

He even joked that one pandemic habit might still be useful:

"That six-foot distance? Might not be a bad idea."

While it's unclear whether the snake was an escaped pet or intentionally brought to the BeltLine, the moment raises broader awareness about safety, exotic animals, and accountability in public spaces.

For now, though, the viral video stands as a reminder of just how unpredictable life in Atlanta can be.

"Out of everything I expected to see that day," Rigland said, "an 8-foot python was definitely not one of them."

CBS News Atlanta reached out to the Atlanta BeltLine for comment. We'll be sure to provide any details if they become available.