A 77-year-old Florida woman was attacked by a nearly 8-foot alligator on Saturday while walking in her gated community, authorities said.
The attack took place at about 6 p.m. while the woman was walking near a pond in the gated Del Webb community in Lakewood Ranch, according to a report.
A neighbor said he had never seen anything like the attack before.
ASTRONOMER PLANS $1.5M EXPEDITION TO RECOVER POSSIBLE ALIEN TECHNOLOGY IN OCEAN
“I lived here five years and I’ve never seen a gator come after anybody like that,” wildlife photographer Gordon Silver said.
“Usually they run the other way, even when you see him on the path around here crossing over from pond to pond. They see a human and they take off.”
After the woman was bitten, she screamed for help until the gator let go and took a rest in the water 2 feet from the shore, according to the report.
“His eyes were locked on us and luckily MSO was there to keep us safe and he had his weapon drawn just in case the gator did attack again,” East Manatee Fire Rescue wrote.
A trapper was called to the scene, and experts say the alligator, which measured 7 feet, 10 inches, displayed signs that someone had been giving it food.
Florida Fish and Wildlife reported the alligator was taken out of the community and killed.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The woman is continuing her recovery.
