Latest news with #alligatorattack
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Horrifying new details reveal how vicious alligator 'death rolled' grandma while her helpless husband watched
A harrowing new report has detailed how a massive alligator lunged from beneath the water and fatally attacked a canoeist near Lake Kissimmee State Park. The victim, 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema, had been canoeing with her husband in shallow water when the predator struck in May. Officials revealed the couple's 14-foot canoe was gliding through just two feet of water when the gator struck - causing Cynthia to fall directly on top of the beast, triggering the fatal attack. Her brave husband, Dave Diekema, tried to fight the alligator off, but was unable to save his beloved wife - and he was forced to watch it make off with her lifeless body. New details revealed that Cynthia's torso was ravaged by the beast - before it performed a death roll and swam away with the grandma lodged in its vicious teeth. A 'death roll' is a hunting technique employed by alligators to subdue and dismember their helpless prey. Feeding alligators is illegal and strongly advised against by the FWC which warns the practice can lead to gators losing their natural reticence and becoming a nuisance. Emergency responders rushed to the scene around 4 p.m. and found Cynthia's body floating in the water. She was recovered and pronounced dead at the scene. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wrote in its chilling report: 'The victim was immediately bitten on the torso, and efforts by her husband to assist her were unsuccessful. The alligator performed a death roll and swam away with the victim.' A police radio call captured the horror of the moment: 'Gator grabbed her out of the canoe,' an officer relayed. '[Her husband] tried to fight the gator off. We're at the last place he saw her. He left the paddle here where he last saw her.' In the wake of Cynthia's death, multiple alligators have been trapped in the area. Officials plan to examine the stomach contents of each animal to determine which one was responsible. FWC statistics show this is one of only two 'major' alligator bites reported so far this year - and the only fatal one. In 2023, there were 23 reported bites, including two fatalities. The tragedy has prompted FWC to launch GatorWise, a new campaign to educate Floridians about gator safety and reduce human-wildlife conflict. 'Because alligators can be found in nearly any water in Florida, it's safest to always assume they're present,' said FWC's Matthew Nichols. 'GatorWise provides science-based information… to help people safely share the landscape with these important animals.' Cynthia's final Instagram post, a collage of smiling vacation photos with her husband, has now become a memorial, filled with emotional tributes. 'You seemed like a genuine, beautiful soul. How lucky you were to live such a fun and rich life for decades, but how terrible it is to lose it in such a way,' wrote one follower. 'Even more terrible that you were so loved, so cherish that your death will affect so many of those around you. May God watch over your family, may you find the peace that you deserve, and may the memory of your light never dim.' Another commented: 'So sad. Thoughts and prayers for your girls and granddaughter. I was always terrified of them when we lived down there.' Under Florida's Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, trappers respond to reports of gators posing a danger to people or pets. FWC advises residents to avoid feeding gators, keep pets on leashes, and never swim outside designated areas, especially at night. A woman has been killed by an alligator while canoeing with her husband on a Florida lake Though fatal gator attacks are rare, this was the second incident at Lake Kissimmee in just two months. In March, a woman was bitten on the elbow by an alligator in the same area - raising alarms among locals. The FWC has advice for alligator safety which recommends keeping a safe distance if one is spotted. Swimmers should keep to designated areas and avoid swimming at night or with pets, which should also be kept on a leash and away from the water's edge. Feeding alligators is illegal and strongly advised against by the FWC which warns the practice can lead to gators losing their natural reticence and becoming a nuisance.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Fox News
Alligator mauls woman canoeing as Florida urges vacationers to avoid disaster with safety tips
Florida wildlife authorities have released a new report on a vicious May alligator attack that took the life of a Michigan woman. Cynthia Diekema, 61, was killed while canoeing with her husband near Lake Kissimmee State Park when they unknowingly approached an 11-foot, four-inch alligator lurking beneath the surface, a report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says, according to KETV. FWC said that the alligator thrashed underneath the canoe, causing the pair to be thrown into the water. "The victim was immediately bitten on the torso, and efforts by her husband to assist her were unsuccessful," according to the report. "The alligator performed a death roll and swam away with the victim." FWC alligator trappers later caught the alligator. Amid the release of the report, FWC announced a new partnership with GatorWise, described as "a new public awareness campaign that aims to promote realistic public perceptions about alligators and assist the public in taking appropriate actions to minimize conflict," in order to help Floridians navigate the waters during the summer, when alligator attacks become more common. "Florida has seen tremendous population growth in recent years, with many people living or recreating near water," Matthew Nichols, FWC alligator management program coordinator, said of the partnership. "Because alligators can be found in nearly any water in Florida, it's safest to always assume they're present. GatorWise provides consistent, science-based information from across the Southeast to help people safely share the landscape with these important animals." According to the wildlife authority, there are an estimated 1.3 million alligators in Florida. FWC's 2025 statistics show that there have been two "major" alligator bites through May, one of them being fatal. There have been no "minor" bites this year. Last year, there were a total of 11 bites, nine considered major and two minor, with no fatalities. In 2023, there were 23 alligator bites, 18 major and five minor, with two fatalities. The GatorWise website provides basic instructions, like assuming alligators are present when near the water, not feeding alligators, not disposing of fish or food scraps in the water, not attempting to pick up an alligator, and ensuring pets aren't wandering shorelines off-leash. "Alligators are native to many wetlands of the southeastern United States, making them critical to the health and balance of these ecosystems," the site says. "Minimizing conflicts with people while maintaining necessary protections from overharvest is crucial to keeping alligator populations stable within their range." "To do that we must Educate people about alligators, while increasing Respect for these animals and their natural behaviors, which will allow for alligators and humans to Coexist." Fox News Digital reached out to FWC.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
New details on fatal alligator attack: Gator slammed canoe, grabbed woman
New information is being released about a gruesome alligator attack in Florida last month that left a woman dead. A massive alligator knocked over a canoe with a married couple aboard, killing the wife after snatching her and dragging her under fresh water in Central Florida, state officials said. The attack took place near the mouth of Tiger Creek near Lake Kissimmee in Polk County. "An 11-foot, 4-inch alligator bit the woman and pulled her underwater," Hailee Seely, spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) southwest region, told USA TODAY June 26. The May 6 attack killed Cynthia Diekema, 61, of Polk County and part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area. Here's what officials said took place the day of the attack including information from a newly obtained preliminary report. Single lighting bolt hits 20 people: Nearly 2 dozen struck by 1 bolt at South Carolina beach Just after 4 p.m. local time on May 6, FWC officers and Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a reported alligator incident involving people in the creek. Investigators said a preliminary investigation found the victim was canoeing with her husband when they "encountered an alligator causing both individuals to fall into the water." The wife "was immediately bitten on the torso, and efforts by her husband to assist her were unsuccessful," according to a preliminary FWC report obtained by KETV. USA TODAY has requested the report. "The alligator performed a death roll and swam away with the victim," according to Seely who said the wife's body was later found and recovered. A state-contracted nuisance alligator trapper arrived, captured the alligator responsible for the attack and it was 'dispatched,' officials said, meaning it was killed The attack remained under investigation on June 26, officials said. Cynthia Diekeman is from Davenport, officials said. The city, also in Polk County, is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area. "She radiated her inner and outer beauty in all she did and had unconditional love for everyone," her obituary reads. "She cherished her family and every moment and adventure they spent together." She leaves behind Dave, her husband of 41 years; her children, Jessica (Matt) Henry, and Megan (Casey) Straka; 2 grandchildren, Elena and Jack Henry. To reduce the chances of conflicts with alligators, the FWC recommends the following precautionary measures near the reptiles in or near water. Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator. Keep pets on a leash and away from the water's edge. Pets often resemble alligators' natural prey. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. If you swim, do so in designated areas during daylight hours. Do not swim with your pet. Do not feed an alligator. It's illegal and dangerous. People with concerns about an alligator are asked to call the FWC at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). Contributing: Lakeland Ledger, The Daytona Beach News-Journal Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alligator kills woman in canoe, swims away with body in Florida
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Daily Mail
North Carolina girl, 12, attacked by an alligator while playing in shallow water
A young girl was attacked by an alligator while swimming in the shallow waters of a North Carolina lake. Lake Waccamaw Police said that multiple children were playing in about four feet of water on Friday when one shouted, 'Something bit me!' All the children rushed out of the lake, and an alligator, between six and seven feet long, surfaced from the water. Lake Waccamaw Mayor Matt Wilson told WECT he knows the 12-year-old girl who was attacked. 'A good friend of mine called me up and let me know the situation. I was over there about 30 minutes after that,' he said. Authorities noted that the injuries sustained were serious but not life-threatening in any way. 'It is also unclear as to if the injuries were caused by a bite or a claw. But they were definitely caused by the alligator,' the police department said. Police, along with the members of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, were able to capture and euthanize the alligator responsible for the attack. 'The alligator responsible for this incident has been neutralized,' Lake Waccamaw police said. Alicia Wassmer, an expert alligator biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, told WBTW that alligator attacks are rare. 'Although the alligator's behavior was unusual, it was not predatory in nature,' Wassmer said. 'Anytime an alligator makes contact with a person, our protocol is to euthanize it regardless of the circumstances. 'Our officers responded quickly and worked with the community to identify and dispatch the alligator.' The mayor warned that as the town continues to develop, community members need to be cautious of the alligators. 'People are coming in, tourists are coming in, we need to educate people,' the mayor said. 'There's more and more people moving to Lake Waccamaw, houses are being built everywhere, and there's more alligators. 'Be mindful of your surroundings, do not feed the alligators, do not dump your table scraps from supper from the night before in the lake.'
New York Times
27-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Bitten by Alligator, Man Is Killed After Charging at Deputies, Sheriff Says
Early on Memorial Day, a Florida man was bitten by an alligator as he swam across a lake. Bleeding from a bite to his right arm but undeterred, he climbed out, grabbed a pair of garden shears and walked into a gated neighborhood, alarming residents, according to local authorities. Within minutes, the man, Timothy Schulz, 42, of Mulberry, Fla., was dead — shot by sheriff's deputies after, they say, he charged at them with the shears, failed to be subdued by a stun gun and tried to grab either a shotgun or rifle from their cruiser. 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator significantly and continued on his rampage was shocking,' the Polk County sheriff, Grady Judd, said at a news conference on Monday. 'This is just crazy stuff. You know it's got to be true. You can't make it up.' In fact, Mr. Schulz had started acting strangely at least two hours before the fatal encounter in Lakeland, Fla., according to the sheriff's office, which pieced together the events leading up to his death using 911 calls and witness statements from residents of the neighborhood who tried to help Mr. Schulz in his final moments. Sheriff Judd also said that Mr. Schulz had a lengthy criminal history, which he described as 'meth arrest, meth arrest, meth arrest, meth arrest, meth arrest.' The events on Monday began before 6 a.m., when an employee at RaceTrac gas station off Highway 37 called the sheriff's office to report a man inside who was acting bizarre — shaking and asking to call his son, Sheriff Judd said. Deputies arrived within three minutes and searched the premises until about 6:39 a.m., but the man, later identified as Mr. Schulz, had vanished, the sheriff said. At 7:43 a.m., a resident in a Polk County neighborhood called the sheriff's office to say that a man was in a lake known to have alligators in it, and that the man was treading water near one of the broad-snouted reptiles. The man, later identified as Mr. Schulz, had entered the lake near the gas station and begun swimming toward Lakeland Court, a gated community, authorities say. 'It's a long swim,' Sheriff Judd said. 'And he was gator-bitten along the way.' Several people saw Mr. Schulz treading water, and one tried to throw Mr. Schulz a life vest but he refused to use it, the sheriff said. Another person who tried to help said that Mr. Schulz growled at him. Then Mr. Schulz, bloodied, emerged from the lake, crossing between houses, Sheriff Judd said. Witnesses told deputies he was trying to break into a vehicle and carrying a pair of garden shears. One person said that Mr. Schulz immediately charged at deputies with the shears when they arrived, Sheriff Judd said. Deputies commanded Mr. Schulz to drop the shears. They twice tried to subdue him by discharging a Taser but, according to Sheriff Judd, it had no effect. Then came the final escalation. Mr. Schulz climbed into the passenger seat of a sheriff's office cruiser and tried to remove either a rifle or a shotgun from its holder, the authorities said. At that moment, the two deputies, including a trainee, opened fire, killing Mr. Schulz. 'He was bizarre,' Sheriff Judd said. 'Our deputies, by the way, are going home safe tonight.' Mr. Schulz had previously been arrested on a charge of possession of methamphetamine on April 16, the authorities said. He was released on May 20. The investigation into what happened on Memorial Day is continuing, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, which said that it was awaiting the results of an autopsy and toxicology reports.
