A 71-year-old man was killed by a nearly 12-foot alligator while fishing at Lake Apopka in Winter Garden, Florida on Friday afternoon. According to the Winter Garden Police Department and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Steven Hamilton of Winter Garden was standing on the shoreline of Dr. Bradford Memorial Park when the reptile attacked him around 5 p.m.
Key Takeaways
A 71-year-old man was killed by a nearly 12-foot alligator while fishing at Lake Apopka in Florida, marking the second fatal attack this year.
- Steven Hamilton of Winter Garden died after being attacked around 5 p.m. on Friday
- Rescue efforts were complicated by other active alligators in the water
- The incident occurred at Dr. Bradford Memorial Park, known for its large alligator population
- Florida has recorded 34 fatal alligator attacks since 1948
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 2 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alligator Size | 1 Difference | HuffPost and Los Angeles Times report a nearly 12-foot alligator; CBS News says it measured 11 feet, 8 inches. | ▼ |
| Victim's Name | Broad Agreement | Victim identified as Steven Hamilton | |
| Yearly Fatal Attacks | Broad Agreement | Two fatal alligator attacks in Florida this year. |
Alligator Size
▼HuffPost and Los Angeles Times report a nearly 12-foot alligator; CBS News says it measured 11 feet, 8 inches.
Victim's Name
Broad AgreementVictim identified as Steven Hamilton
Yearly Fatal Attacks
Broad AgreementTwo fatal alligator attacks in Florida this year.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The presence of other active alligators in the water complicated any chance of rescuing Hamilton, whose body was recovered approximately two hours later. This incident marks the second fatal alligator attack in Florida this year and brings the total number of individuals killed by alligators since 1948 to 34.
The park is known for its large alligator population, with a crossing called Gator Bridge. Winter Garden Police Capt. Michael Mason noted that authorities were not alerted in advance about an alligator near the shoreline, possibly because the lake "has tons of alligators in it." The trapped and removed alligator measured 11 feet 8 inches.
In June, a 31-year-old Oviedo woman, Brittany Clark, was killed by a 13-foot alligator near her home. Following that incident, Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Steube introduced a resolution calling for the Comptroller General and Department of the Interior to study the impacts of the American alligator's listing as "threatened due to similarity of appearance" on Florida's ability to remove nuisance alligators from residential and commercial waterways.
Steube argued that while the species has been fully recovered since 1987, it remains protected to prevent trafficking and hunting of the similar-looking American crocodile. The FWC reported that there were 13 attacks last year in Florida, including eight major attacks, two of which were fatal.
How this summary was created
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