Chief: Man fishing when attacked, killed by 12-foot alligator at Winter Garden park
Man killed in suspected alligator attack in Winter Garden
A man was killed in an alligator attack in Winter Garden, where authorities say he may have been fishing at the time, according to a report by FOX 35.
WINTER GARDEN, Fla. - A 71-year-old man was killed after an alligator attacked him while he was fishing in a park on Friday evening in Winter Garden, according to the Winter Garden Captain Michael Mason.
Man attacked by alligator
What we know:
Emergency crews responded to the park around 5:20 p.m. on Friday after receiving a 911 call about a possible alligator attack, said Winter Garden Fire Chief Jose Gainza. Chief Gainza said crews were attempting to rescue the man from the water, but it was difficult because there were active alligators nearby.
Around 7 p.m. Chief Gainza said the man's body had been recovered from the water.
During a press conference Friday night, Winter Garden Police Chief Michael Mason said the man, a 71-year-old from Winter Garden, had died. He said a 12-foot alligator, believed to be the one that attacked the man, had been trapped, captured, and killed.
Both Winter Garden police and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are investigating the attack.
Dr. Bradford Memorial Park has direct water access to Lake Apopka, known for having one of the largest American alligator populations in Central Florida, according to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Alligators in Florida
Big picture view:
Florida is home to the American alligator, which can live in any body of water, including rivers, streams, lakes, swamps, and marshes, according to the FWC. They can be found in all 67 counties in Florida.
FWC: Alligator bites in Florida
By the numbers:
While alligator attacks against humans are considered to be rare, they can happen. The FWC keeps track of unprovoked alligator backs each year, dating back to 1948.
According to the FWC's data, there have been a total of 500 alligator bites against humans since 1948, of which 32 of them were deadly.
Alligator deaths by year
- 2025: 13 total bites — 2 deaths, 8 major, 5 minor
- 2024: 11 total bites — 9 major, 2 minor, 0 deaths
- 2023: 23 total bites — 2 deaths, 19 major, 5 minor
- 2022: 11 total bites — 2 deaths, 9 major, 2 minor
- 2021: 9 total bites — 7 major, 2 minor, 0 deaths
Brittany Clark, boyfriend, best friend stopped to swim after a long hike, officials say
Why you should care:
In June, 31-year-old Brittany Clark died after she was attacked while swimming in a river at the Little Big Econ State Forest. Officials said she was in about 3 feet of water when the alligator attacked her.
In August, a woman
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by Winter Garden Fire Chief Jose Gainza, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, and from previous reporting by FOX 35 News.