Florida Alligator Attack Kills Fisherman at Lake Apopka

The florida alligator attack claimed the life of a 71-year-old fisherman in Winter Garden on Friday evening, when an alligator nearly 12 feet long dragged him from the shoreline into a pond connected to Lake Apopka. The victim, identified by wildlife officials as Steve Hamilton, was fishing along the bank when the animal seized him.

Emergency crews were called to Dr. Bradford Memorial Park at about 5:20 p.m., according to Winter Garden Fire Rescue Chief Jose Gainza and Winter Garden Police Capt. Michael Mason. Rescue efforts were hampered because the pond was infested with other active alligators, which stopped swimmers from reaching the victim. His body was recovered at around 7 p.m.

The 11.8-Foot Gator Was Captured and Killed

An 11-foot, 8-inch alligator believed responsible for the attack was later trapped, removed, and killed, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said. The pond is well known for its dense alligator population — the park even features a crossing called Gator Bridge — and sits near Lake Apopka, which wildlife officials say holds one of the largest alligator populations in Central Florida.

The attack is being investigated by Winter Garden police and the FWC. In a statement, the commission extended its sympathies to Hamilton’s family and urged the public to stay aware of their surroundings, keep distance from wildlife, and never mistake a seemingly calm alligator for a docile one.

Second Fatal Attack in Florida This Year

Hamilton is the second person killed by an alligator in Florida this year. On June 28, 31-year-old Brittany Clark died after an attack on the Econlockhatchee River near Orlando. The FWC notes that serious alligator injuries are rare in Florida: outside of 2022, when there were 23 attacks on humans, the total usually hovers around a dozen each year despite hundreds of thousands of alligators statewide.

Source: The Guardian