A nearly 12-foot alligator killed a 71-year-old Florida man as he fished from shore near Lake Apopka, and other gators in the water kept rescuers from reaching him.
Story Snapshot
- Steve Hamilton, 71, was pulled into the water while fishing from shore at a Winter Garden park.
- Rescue crews could not get to him because other alligators were in the water.
- A trapper hired by the state removed an alligator measuring 11 feet 8 inches.
- His death is the second fatal alligator attack in Florida this year.
What Happened At The Park
Steve Hamilton was fishing from the bank at Dr. Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden, near Orlando, when an alligator grabbed him around 5 p.m. on Friday, October 16, and pulled him into the water. The park has several small ponds that connect to Lake Apopka, a large lake known for its alligators. Crews tried to save him, but Winter Garden Fire Chief Jose Gainza said they could not reach him because other alligators were in the water.
Police and fire crews answered a 911 call, and Hamilton’s body was recovered by about 7 p.m. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the state agency in charge of wildlife and known as FWC, identified him. Michael Mason of the Winter Garden Police Department said officers did not know an alligator was near that stretch of shore before the attack.
“Lake Apopka has tons of alligators in it, so that’s not uncommon to see alligators in this part of town at all,” Mason told reporters Friday night.
The FWC said, “The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the victim during this difficult time.”
What Wildlife Officers Did Next
After the attack, the FWC said a contracted nuisance-alligator trapper caught the alligator and removed it from the area. A nuisance-alligator trapper is a licensed hunter the state hires to take away gators that put people, pets or property at risk. The FWC measured the animal at 11 feet 8 inches, and police said it was trapped and killed.
This work runs through Florida’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, known as SNAP. The program is built for public safety. When a gator is a threat to people, a trapper removes it from the site so families can use parks and shorelines again.
How Rare These Attacks Are, And How To Stay Safe
Deadly attacks are rare in Florida. The state usually sees about a dozen alligator bites a year, according to FWC data, and no year since 1948 has had more than three deaths. Florida had 13 attacks in 2025, and two of them were fatal. Hamilton’s death is the second this year. In June, Brittany Clark, 31, was killed by an alligator in Little Big Econ State Forest near Orlando.
State wildlife officials give simple advice. Stay back from the water’s edge, never feed alligators, and keep children and pets well away from the shore. Throw fish scraps in the trash instead of into the water, since scraps can draw big gators close. Alligators are most active from dusk to dawn, so take extra care at those hours.
Mason urged people to stay aware of their surroundings, respect wildlife and keep their distance. Alligators can look calm and slow, he said, but they can be dangerous. If a gator seems to threaten people, pets or property, call the FWC nuisance-alligator hotline.
Sources:
foxnews.com, wftv.com, nbcnews.com, people.com, nytimes.com, wdsu.com, abcnews.com, news-journalonline.com, wesh.com, myfwc.com, fox5atlanta.com
