Authorities said Steven Hamilton, 71, was fishing along the shoreline when a nearly 12-foot alligator attacked him Friday evening.
WINTER GARDEN, FL — A 71-year-old man was killed Friday after an alligator attacked him while he was fishing at Dr. Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden, according to local officials and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The wildlife agency identified the victim as Steven Hamilton, a Winter Garden resident. Officials said Hamilton was fishing near a pond at the park on Oct. 16 when the alligator attacked. Emergency crews responded after receiving a 911 call, but the presence of other alligators in the water complicated efforts to reach him.
Winter Garden Fire Chief Jose Gainza said crews received the call at about 5:20 p.m. Responders found an active alligator presence around the pond, making it unsafe for rescuers to immediately enter the water. Hamilton’s body was later recovered, and the wildlife commission said he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said Hamilton had been fishing along the shoreline before the attack. Officials have not released a detailed account of the moments immediately before the alligator made contact with him, and investigators have not said whether anyone directly witnessed the entire attack.
A contracted nuisance alligator trapper was called to the park after the attack. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said an alligator measuring 11 feet, 8 inches was removed from the area. Winter Garden officials said the animal believed to have been involved in the fatal attack was killed.
Dr. Bradford Memorial Park is near Lake Apopka and includes access to areas used for fishing. Alligators are common in freshwater environments across Florida, including lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, swamps and marshes. The wildlife commission has said serious injuries caused by alligators are rare, though attacks can be fatal.
The incident prompted a response from Winter Garden police, fire crews and state wildlife officials. Early reports from the scene described rescuers working to recover a person from the water while several alligators remained nearby. Authorities later confirmed that the victim had died and identified him as Hamilton.
The fatal attack was the second reported alligator-related death in Florida in recent months. In June, 31-year-old Brittany Clark died after an alligator attack in the Econlockhatchee River at Little Big Econ State Forest in Central Florida. Wildlife officials also removed large alligators from that area following the attack.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission operates the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, which sends contracted trappers to investigate reports of specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. The agency said it places a high priority on public safety and expressed sympathy to Hamilton’s family and loved ones following his death.
Winter Garden police and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are continuing to investigate the circumstances of Friday’s attack. Authorities had not announced additional findings about what may have prompted the alligator to attack as of Saturday.
Author note: Last updated October 17, 2026.