Alligator Kills 71-Year-Old Fisherman, Florida’s Second Such Death in 2026

Steven Hamilton, 71, was killed on October 16 by a 3.6-metre alligator while standing on the bank of Lake Apopka near Orlando, Florida. Rescue workers were delayed because other alligators were in the water, and Hamilton’s body was found about two hours after the attack. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trappers captured and killed the alligator. It was Florida’s second fatal alligator attack in 2026, following the death of 31-year-old Brittany Clark in June.