But on Friday, October 16, a fishing trip at Dr Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden turned fatal when an alligator attacked him. Steven Hamilton, loved fishing so much that he visited a pond in Florida almost every night. Here is what we know about him:
When they arrived, they found that an adult male had been badly hurt after being bitten by an alligator while fishing in a pond. The man, later identified as Steven Hamilton, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to a statement from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) obtained by PEOPLE, FWC and Winter Garden Police responded to reports of an alligator incident at around 5pm local time on Friday, October 16.
Winter Garden police said Hamilton was fishing when the attack happened. Police Captain Michael Mason confirmed at a press conference that authorities have “removed” the animal that killed Hamilton.
“This is an active investigation, and this is all the information available at this time.
“The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the victim during this time,” an FWC spokesperson told PEOPLE . The Winter Garden Fire Department told PEOPLE, “The scene was turned over to FWC.”
Because of this, Hamilton’s body stayed in the pond for about an hour before it could be safely recovered.
Fire Chief Jose Gainza said the pond had several alligators, according to local outlet WKMG.
