71-year-old man killed by 12-foot alligator near Florida lake - BERITAJA

A 71-year-old man sportfishing connected the statement of a Florida reservoir was killed by a about 12-foot alligator, according to police.

Steven Hamilton of Winter Garden was opinionated connected the statement of Lake Apopka astatine Dr. Bradford Memorial Park, 24 kilometres northwest of Orlando, erstwhile he was attacked about 5 p.m. connected Friday, the Winter Garden Police Department said successful a news conference.

“The alligator was about 12-feet agelong and has been dispatched by FWC trappers,” Capt. Michael Mason of the Winter Garden Police Department said.

Police said they first responded to the reservoir area about about 5 p.m. section clip connected Friday.

When asked by reporters if the alligator had been “shot,” Mason said that the alligator was “removed arsenic a threat to the public.”

Mason said authorities were not alerted successful beforehand that an alligator was adjacent the lake’s shore.

“Lake Apopka has tons of alligators successful it,” Mason said. “So that’s not uncommon to spot alligators successful this portion of municipality astatine all.”

Mason said that constabulary launched a associated investigation pinch the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

He warned those successful the area to beryllium alert of their surroundings and respect wildlife.

“Keep your distance,” he said. “It looks for illustration it’s docile, it looks for illustration your Florida emblem, but it could beryllium dangerous.”

Friday’s onslaught marks the 2nd fatal alligator onslaught successful Florida since June.

A 31-year-old Florida female swimming successful a river astatine Little Big Econ State Forest successful Seminole County, Fla., died connected June 28 aft an alligator spot disconnected 1 of her arms, according to the FWC.

During a property conference, the FWC said that it had received a telephone telephone from Seminole County about a swimmer who had been bitten by an alligator.

“At that time, Seminole County, the FWC and the Department of Forestry responded to a 31-year-old female,” said Chad Weber, Public Information Officer for the FWC.

Weber said the female had been bitten connected some of her arms and that her fellow was the 1 who made the telephone telephone to police.

“He was trying to get her from the alligator’s mouth,” Weber revealed. “On the measurement to the infirmary she did walk distant from her injuries.”

Alligators seldom wound group for reasons different than food, according to the FWC.

Female alligators whitethorn protect their nests by hissing and opening their mouths to frighten intruders but seldom wound people, the FWC notes.

According to the FWC’s statistic connected alligator bites connected group successful Florida, location were 13 bites connected group successful 2025, pinch 2 of those being fatal.

—With files from The Associated Press