Police in America are investigating after an alligator was thought to have attacked and killed a dog walker on a golf course. The shocking incident happened in Spanish Wells in Beaufort County yesterday.
In a Facebook post the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said that they were alerted to the attack and when they arrived an alligator was ‘guarding’ the woman’s body. The Sheriff’s office said: “At approximately 9:28 this morning, Sheriff’s Office deputies, Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue, Beaufort County Coroner’s Office and Spanish Wells security personnel responded to Brams Point Road in the Spanish Wells community for a report of a possible alligator attack near a lagoon bordering the golf course.
“A 69-year-old resident of the community was found at the edge of the lagoon and appeared to be unresponsive. Rescue efforts were made and an alligator appeared and was guarding the woman, interrupting emergency efforts. The gator was safely removed from the area and the woman’s body was recovered. The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office will facilitate an autopsy on the woman.
“Deputies learned that the woman was walking her dog earlier this morning when the attack occurred. It is not clear at this point where she was taken into the water“
This is the second fatal alligator attack in Beaufort County in less than a year. On August 15, 2022, an 88-year-old Sun City woman was attacked by an alligator at a lagoon near her home, the office revealed.
In response to the post people spoke of their fears of future attacks by alligators. Laura O’Brien Fromdahl said :”I was there when they pulled her out of the middle of the pond away from the alligator. She’s lived here for 20+ years. She was very knowledgeable about the dangers from alligators. The issue is there shouldn’t be alligators that size in populated areas. The policies need to change.”
Monique Marie Valkyrie added: “Everyone assumes the woman did something wrong. She lost her life. My mother was walking her little dog on the sidewalk near an open field when a 10 ft alligator was crossing from one lagoon to another and saw her with her dog. He decided to go straight for her. He was in the road about 25 feet from her when a neighbor put her SUV between the gator and my mom. The gator turned around and went back the way he came and we got it on video. Yes people do forget about the natural threat but sometimes the gator will not be deterred no matter how cautious you are.”
