71-year-old man dies after alligator assault whereas fishing in Florida, police say

A 71-year-old man died after an alligator attacked him whereas he was fishing, authorities mentioned on Friday.

Steven Hamilton was fishing at Dr. Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden, Florida — a metropolis about 15 miles west of Orlando — when he was bitten by an alligator, based on an announcement from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Responding emergency personnel relayed stories that witnesses had seen somebody presumably grabbed by an alligator and pulled into the water, based on a recording radio site visitors. He was pronounced useless on the scene, the FWC mentioned.

The Winter Garden Police Department confirmed the incident in an announcement, including that FWC authorities trapped and killed the roughly 12-foot-long alligator.

The FWC mentioned that “serious injuries caused by alligators are uncommon in Florida.”

In June, a 31-year-old woman died after an alligator bit off one in every of her arms and mauled the opposite at close by Little Big Econ State Forest.

“Always pay attention to your environment. Always be secure,” Winter Garden police Capt. Michael Mason informed reporters, according to NBC affiliate WESH 2 News. “Local wildlife, respect it, maintain your distance. It seems prefer it’s docile, it seems like your Florida emblem, however it may be harmful.”

Mason inspired witnesses of the incident to achieve out to authorities.