Florida Fisherman Loses Hand in Brutal Nine-Foot Alligator Attack

Clear Facts

• An alligator in Leesburg, Florida, attacked a fisherman, biting off his hand.
• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported the alligator to be approximately nine feet long.
• The FWC had to shoot the alligator, referred to as a ‘nuisance gator’, as per protocol for alligators that attack humans.

A fisherman in Leesburg, Florida, had a brutal encounter with a nine-foot alligator, resulting in the loss of his hand. The incident occurred on Sunday while the man was fishing in a pond in the Pennbroke Fairways neighborhood.

The alligator attacked as the fisherman was reeling in a fish, biting off his hand in the process. A witness to the attack, Ron Priest, described the scene, “While the guy was on the ground, the gator got the guy in the hand, and the two rolled.” A 911 call confirmed the severity of the attack, with the caller stating, “Hand is gone!”

Priest believes the alligator was after the fish the man was reeling in. After releasing the man’s hand, the alligator retreated into the water. Emergency crews arrived at the scene to assist the victim, who was later airlifted to an Orlando hospital.

This incident is reminiscent of a similar one in May, where an alligator attacked a man in Port Charlotte, Florida, tearing off his arm. The victim, Jordan Rivera, later commented, “I didn’t lose my life; I lost an arm. It’s not the end of the world, you know.”

According to Priest, the dismembered hand may have been sent to Orlando in hopes of it being reattached. He also mentioned that he believes FWC officials are not allowed to dispose of a person’s body part.

The FWC, left with no other option, had to shoot the alligator, referred to as a ‘nuisance gator’. This is the standard protocol for alligators that attack humans. The condition of the victim post-attack is still being determined.

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