Florida Wildlife Officials Say 13-Foot Alligator Killed Orlando Woman in River Death Roll

Florida wildlife authorities say DNA evidence has now connected Clark to a massive 13-foot alligator captured after the deadly river encounter last month.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed that laboratory testing found Brittany Clark’s DNA matched genetic material taken from the 13-foot alligator caught following the fatal attack on the Econlockhatchee River on June 28.

Clark, who lived in Orlando, had been swimming near the Barr Street Trailhead inside Little Big Econ State Forest when the alligator attack occurred. Authorities said she was being transported to the hospital as a trauma alert, but she died from her injuries before arriving.

A preliminary report from the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office, obtained by Fox News affiliate WOFL-TV, said Clark was in shoulder-deep water with her boyfriend, Chance Allison, and another friend when the alligator seized her arm and began what investigators characterized as a “death roll.”

The report said Allison tried to grab the alligator and force it to release Clark, but the animal pulled both of them underwater, briefly let Clark go, and then latched onto her other arm.

After the alligator finally released her, Allison managed to get Clark back to shore and called 911, according to the report. A short portion of body camera video later showed a Seminole County deputy responding to the scene of the attack.

An alligator’s “death roll” is when the reptile latches on to potential prey and violently spins in the water to subdue or dismember it, according to the National Institute of Health.

After the attack, FWC trappers captured and killed two huge alligators — 12.5-foot and 13-foot gators — and sent their DNA to a lab to determine if either animal was the one that killed Clark.

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According to the FWC, bite marks found on Clark’s arm were consistent with the front row teeth of the 13-foot alligator found at the river.

“The FWC’s investigation into this incident remains active,” the agency said.

The FWC said serious injuries caused by alligators are uncommon in Florida, although alligators can be found in lakes, rivers, ponds and other freshwater bodies across all 67 counties.

Officials said they are not speculating about what prompted the attack but noted that alligators can become more territorial during their mating season, which typically runs from April through June.

A few safety recommendations for individuals coming into contact with an alligator, according to the FWC: “Keep a safe distance” and “keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge.”

“Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey,” officials warned. “Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.”

Also, “never feed an alligator; it’s illegal and dangerous.”

“When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food,” the FWC added. “This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild.”

People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at  866-FWC-GATOR.