Trapper catches alligator that attacked woman in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG — A trapper captured a nearly 11-foot alligator that attacked a woman Monday morning.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued a permit to a trapper to remove the gator, which measured 10 feet 11 inches, said commission spokesman Senior Officer Bryce Phillippi.

It attacked the woman after she fell into a canal in the 1800 block of Fourth Street S near Bartlett Park, according to St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue. She had been resting on the seawall when she fell in about 6 a.m. The fire department did not identify her but said she is in her 50s and was experiencing homelessness.

The woman was hospitalized at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg after the attack and was in stable condition Monday afternoon.

The fire department said the gator had been euthanized, but wildlife officials didn’t confirm that in their accounts Monday.

It’s rare that alligators cause serious injuries, Phillipi said, but those with concerns about a nuisance alligator can call the commission’s hotline at 866-392-4286.