A Florida woman has been killed by a 10ft alligator while attempting to rescue her dog from its jaws as the pair were out on a walk together.
The unnamed 85-year-old woman was walking her dog at the Spanish Lakes Fairways community in Fort Pierce yesterday (February 20).
As reported by the Daily Mail, the reptile - which comes in at around 10 feet and weighs approximately 700 lbs - leaped from the water and attacked the canine.
The 85-year-old bravely fought back, but the reptile turned its attention to her instead, with eyewitnesses telling CBS News that she was dragged into the water.
The woman was sadly killed during the attack and her body was later recovered, with the dog miraculously surviving and being treated for its injuries.
Officials found the alligator and removed it from the water, with those in charge of capturing the reptile stating that it was "definitely a fight."
Speaking to WPBF, Robert Lilly, an alligator trapper working for the FWC, said: "Snagged him [the alligator] on the bottom. He never surfaced. He stayed down the whole time. Got a second hook in him and then a hard line in him so we could get him up."
They then bound the alligator using a rope which included ensuring that it was unable to open its jaw, and images were taken of officials sitting on top of it.
As per the Daily Mail, this is the third person to be killed by an alligator in Florida since last July, when an elderly woman was killed by two alligators after falling into a pond at the Boca Royale Golf and Country Club in Englewood.
Around 1.3 million alligators live in Florida and they are likely to be found in most bodies of fresh water, but some can be spotted in salt water.
Authorities offered their condolences to the family of the woman, and the FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) released the following statement, via CBS.
"Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida. The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets, or property.
"People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC's toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). When someone concerned about an alligator calls the Nuisance Alligator Hotline, we will dispatch one of our contracted nuisance alligator trappers to resolve the situation."
Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the woman.
