What happened at the Winter Garden park
A 71-year-old man died after an alligator attacked him as he fished, authorities said on Friday. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission identified him as Steven Hamilton and said he was at Dr. Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden when the animal bit him. Winter Garden is a city about 15 miles west of Orlando.
According to a recording of radio traffic cited by NBC News, responding emergency personnel relayed that witnesses had seen someone who may have been grabbed by an alligator and dragged into the water. The FWC said Hamilton was pronounced dead at the scene.
The response from authorities
The Winter Garden Police Department confirmed the incident in its own statement. Police said FWC personnel trapped and killed the alligator, which they described as roughly 12 feet long.
Winter Garden police Capt. Michael Mason spoke to reporters, according to NBC affiliate WESH 2 News. He encouraged anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward and contact authorities. The sources provided do not describe the investigation beyond that request, and no further details about the circumstances of the attack were released in the material available.
A rare but recurring danger in Florida
The FWC said that “serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida.” Even so, the park incident follows another fatal encounter this year. In June, a 31-year-old woman died after an alligator bit off one of her arms and mauled the other at Little Big Econ State Forest, which NBC News described as nearby.
Alligators are a familiar presence across the state, living in many freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and canals, including waters in and around parks where people walk, boat and fish. Because the animals share space with residents and visitors, wildlife agencies generally stress that encounters are possible near almost any body of fresh water, even when attacks remain uncommon.
What officials are urging the public to do
Mason pressed residents to stay alert around the water. “Always be aware of your surroundings. Always be safe,” he told reporters, according to WESH 2 News.
He also cautioned against treating the reptiles casually. “Local wildlife, respect it, keep your distance. It looks like it’s docile, it looks like your Florida emblem, but it can be dangerous,” Mason said.
Wildlife officials commonly advise people to stay back from the water’s edge when possible, never feed alligators, and keep children and pets away from the shoreline. Anglers in particular may spend extended time close to the water, where alligators can be drawn to activity. The FWC and Winter Garden police had not announced any changes to park access or fishing rules in the information provided.
