LARGO, Fla. — Authorities believe a gator killed a man in Largo, Florida Tuesday morning.
The Largo Police Department said the 47-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, was looking for frisbees in the water at John S. Taylor Park when a gator likely attacked the man.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and a trapper responded to Taylor Lake.
"A contracted nuisance alligator trapper is working to remove a nearby alligator and efforts will be made to determine if it was involved in this situation," FWC said.
At this time, residents and visitors are being asked to avoid the area.
They're also being reminded that, as posted on the signs nearby, they should not go swimming or near the lake at any time.
According to the FWC, Florida has not had a deadly gator attack since 2019.
Since FWC started tracking gator attacks in 1948, there have been 26 deadly attacks in Florida. Over the last 10 years, the state has averaged eight unprovoked bites per year that are serious enough to require medical attention.
According to FWC, the likelihood of being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly one in 3.1 million.
In 2018, a 35-year-old man was bitten by an alligator while playing disc golf in Clearwater. In that incident, the man was trying to retrieve a disc from a pond at Cliff Stephens Park when he was bitten on the arm.
Alligators are more active during their mating season, which lasts from April to June.
This story was originally reported by Veronica Beltran on abcactionnews.com.
