A 71-year-old Florida fisherman was killed by a nearly 12-foot alligator after the predator suddenly grabbed him while he was posing for a photograph with a fish he had just caught.
The horrifying attack happened Friday, October 16, at Dr. Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden, approximately 15 miles northwest of Orlando, leaving witnesses stunned and a close-knit community mourning a beloved local musician.
Steven Hamilton, an experienced fisherman who regularly visited the park, had just reeled in a bass along the shoreline of a pond connected to Lake Apopka when the alligator struck around 5 p.m.
Witness Beatrice Soto said Hamilton was proudly holding up his catch for a photograph when the enormous reptile lunged from the water.
“He caught a bass. He held it up for whoever it was to take a picture of him, and the gator came up and grabbed him by the leg and pulled him in,” Soto told WFTV.
The alligator dragged Hamilton into the pond, prompting frantic calls to emergency services.
Winter Garden police officers and firefighters rushed to the scene, but rescue efforts were complicated by the presence of several other alligators swimming nearby.
Fire Chief Jose Gainza said the dangerous conditions prevented rescue swimmers from safely entering the water, forcing emergency crews to use alternative methods to recover Hamilton.
His body was eventually recovered approximately two hours after the attack.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dispatched a licensed nuisance alligator trapper to the scene, where an alligator measuring 11 feet, 8 inches was captured and euthanized.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the attack.
On Monday, October 19, the medical examiner determined that Hamilton died from injuries sustained during the attack and drowning. His death was ruled accidental.
For residents who knew Hamilton, the tragedy has been especially difficult because he was a familiar and friendly presence at the popular fishing spot.
“He was out there almost every single night fishing,” local resident Connor Kelley told WESH.
Kelley remembered exchanging greetings with Hamilton during his visits and described him as someone who was always willing to help others.
Fellow fisherman Jason Handley said he feared the worst when he first heard that someone had been attacked at the park.
Handley knew Hamilton frequently fished there and was devastated when he learned that his acquaintance was the victim.
Beyond his love of fishing, Hamilton had spent nearly four decades performing in Central Florida’s music scene.
He was a talented multi-instrumentalist who played with several local groups, including the Bone Bros Band.
Christine Pompilio, managing partner of Jax 5th Avenue in Lake Mary, remembered Hamilton as a generous musician who enjoyed sharing his knowledge with younger performers.
“He was very, very talented, played different instruments, and would share all that knowledge with everybody that came along and joined in,” Pompilio told WFTV.
She said the local music community was deeply saddened by his death and hoped to organize a memorial where friends and fellow musicians could celebrate his life.
The fatal encounter has also renewed concerns about alligator safety around Lake Apopka, where the animals are commonly spotted along shorelines and in connected waterways.
One local woman reported that an alligator had killed her dog near the lake in September, adding to residents’ worries about encounters with large reptiles.
However, wildlife officials have not established that the earlier incident involved the same animal responsible for Hamilton’s death.
The tragedy marks Florida’s second reported fatal alligator attack of 2026.
In June, 31-year-old Brittany Clark was killed by an alligator while swimming in a river near Oviedo, northeast of Orlando.
Despite the two deaths, wildlife officials emphasize that fatal alligator encounters remain uncommon.
According to the FWC, Florida has recorded 34 fatal alligator attacks since 1948, although the state is home to an estimated 1.3 million alligators.
The animals can be found in nearly every county and often inhabit lakes, ponds, canals and rivers near residential communities.
Wildlife officials warn that people should remain a safe distance from the water’s edge, particularly when fishing or handling freshly caught fish.
Alligators may be attracted by activity involving fish, and the FWC recommends never feeding them or discarding fish scraps into waters where people swim or gather.
The agency also advises residents to keep pets away from shorelines and avoid swimming outside designated areas.
Anyone concerned about a potentially dangerous alligator can contact Florida’s statewide nuisance alligator hotline at 866-392-4286.
Winter Garden police and state wildlife authorities continue to review the fatal incident.
For Hamilton’s friends and fellow musicians, the loss reaches far beyond the circumstances of the attack.
He was remembered as a familiar face at the lake, a generous friend and an accomplished musician who spent decades entertaining audiences throughout Central Florida.
What began as another peaceful afternoon enjoying his favorite hobby ended in a tragedy that has left the community shaken.
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