The grim details of an alligator attack that killed a man last week have been revealed.
Steven Hamilton died on October 16 at Florida’s Dr Bradford Memorial Park while fishing.
Winter Garden police were contacted around 5.20pm with reports of the attack.
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After catching a fish at the park’s lake, the 71-year-old reportedly tried to take a photo of his catch when an alligator bit his leg and dragged him underwater.
Emergency crews, who quickly responded to the attack, had difficulty reaching Hamilton because the alligator refused to let go of the man, FOX35 reported.
Once trappers were able to subdue the animal, which was roughly 3.7 metres in length, Hamilton’s body was released but he was quickly pronounced dead.
The body was recovered around 7pm, fire chief Jose Gainza told FOX35, as attempts were made challenging because of the active alligator population in the area.
Hamilton died from a blunt-force injury to his left leg and drowning, the Orange County Medical Examiner’s report said.
The death was ruled an accident.
The report noted that Hamilton suffered severe injuries, including probable tooth marks, to his left leg.
A regular at the park, Connor Kelley, told WESH Hamilton was there “almost every single night” fishing.
“As I was leaving to go home, I heard someone say apparently it was an older gentleman who fishes there every night, and just immediately my stomach dropped because I was so worried it was Steve, and it turns out it unfortunately was,” he told the outlet.
The park’s lake is widely known for having alligators, as it connects with Lake Apopka, home to central Florida’s largest American alligator population.
Mr Kelley said it was a reminder of the dangers faced in the state.
“He was not someone that, you know, was harassing any alligators or anything like that. It was just a very unfortunate event that happened and a very sober reminder of, you know, how just mindful to be around water in Florida,” he said.
Mr Kelley described the fellow-fisherman as a generous man.
“It just shows that he was a very kind man, very relatable,” he said.
“I heard from someone else in town that he had helped her kids with fishing down there a few times.”
An alligator believed to be responsible for the attack was captured by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and was killed.
The attack is being investigated by the FWC and Winter Garden police.
