Public Safety · Winter Garden, FL
Medical Examiner Confirms Fisherman Killed by Alligator at Lake Apopka Park Died of Leg Injuries, Drowning
The Orange-Osceola Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Monday that Steven Hamilton, 71, died from blunt force injuries to his left leg and drowning after an alligator attacked him around 5 p.m. Friday while he was fishing at a park on Lake Apopka in Winter Garden, Florida. The report, citing witness accounts, said the alligator grabbed Hamilton as he held up for a photo of a fish he had caught, then submerged him repeatedly before rescuers subdued the animal; his death was ruled accidental. The gator was later trapped and killed by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission trappers. FWC and Winter Garden police urged residents to keep safe distance from alligators and leash pets near water, noting that drought conditions have concentrated alligators in shrinking waterways across Central Florida.