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Florida Man Fishing Fatally Attacked by 12-Foot Gator
17 Oct
Summary
- A 71-year-old man was fatally attacked by an alligator.
- The alligator, nearly 12 feet long, was killed after the attack.
- Alligator attacks remain statistically rare in Florida.
In Winter Garden, Florida, a man fishing at a local pond was fatally attacked by a large alligator on Friday. Steve Hamilton, 71, was on the shoreline when the nearly 12-foot-long gator dragged him into the water. Emergency responders arrived shortly after receiving a 911 call but faced difficulties due to other nearby alligators.
Hamilton's body was recovered a few hours later. Capt. Michael Mason of the Winter Garden police department confirmed that the alligator involved in the attack was killed. He noted that the pond, connected to Lake Apopka, is known to have many alligators, urging people to remain aware of their surroundings.
Such attacks are uncommon; the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports approximately 34 fatal alligator encounters since 1948 among the state's estimated 1.3 million gators. This incident follows a similar fatal attack in Florida less than four months prior.
