The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released the name of the woman killed in an alligator attack in Seminole County over the weekend as the investigation into the incident continues.
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Brittany Clark, 31, of Orlando was hiking with her boyfriend and a friend along the Barr Street Trailhead in the Little Big Econ State Forest when they decided to stop for a swim in the Econlockhatchee River, officials said.
They were in three feet of water when a large alligator snapped at her arms, taking one. In a frantic 911 call released by the Seminole County Fire Department this week, her friend could be heard screaming for help as she tried to alert first responders searching from them.
“Please hurry, that’s my best friend,” the caller pleaded.
The animal was gone by the time the call was made, and Clark could be heard speaking in the background of the call. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, where she died of her injuries.
“The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the victim’s family and loved ones,” FWC spokesperson Chad Weber said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.”
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Weber said there was no evidence that the alligator was being harassed by the group when it attacked Clark, pointing instead to a waning mating season when the reptiles tend to be more aggressive and territorial.
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Two alligators, one 12 feet in length and a 13-footer, were captured near the site of the attack as part of the investigation. It’s not clear whether either animal was responsible for Clark’s death.
In 2025, FWC recorded 13 unprovoked alligator attacks statewide, with two being fatal. One of the deaths was of a woman attacked while canoeing in Lake Kissimmee when she passed over a gator in the water.
The attack against Clark happened within the same seven-day period as two other Central Florida attacks, one in Marion County on Saturday that injured a child and another on June 21 in which a 19-year-old survived being bitten on the head and neck. It’s not clear how many gator attacks there have been so far in 2026.
Alligator attacks are relatively rare in Florida, with just 500 reported since 1948, according to FWC figures. The agency advises people to keep a safe distance from the animals when they’re spotted and to keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge.
They further advise people swim only in designated areas and during daylight hours, as alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
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