Florida woman, 85, killed in alligator attack
MIAMI - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the St. Lucie County Sherriff's Office said an 85-year-old woman was killed Monday in an incident involving an alligator.
Authorities responded to reports of an alligator bite incident in the 6700 block of Picante Circle, at a 55-plus living community near Fort Pierce.
The body of the woman was recovered and a trapper captured the alligator involved in the attack, police said.
Witnesses said the woman had been walking her dog when an alligator grabbed it. She then tried to get the dog away from the gator's jaws and that is when she was attacked by the reptile.
"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the victim," authorities said.
The woman's dog survived the attack.
The FWC released the following statement:
"Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida. The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC's toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). When someone concerned about an alligator calls the Nuisance Alligator Hotline, we will dispatch one of our contracted nuisance alligator trappers to resolve the situation."