911 call, deputy body cam released in Florida alligator attack: 'She needs help'
Woman dies after alligator attack in Central Florida river
A 31-year-old Orlando woman died after an alligator attacked her while she was in a Central Florida river, prompting wildlife officials to capture two large alligators as they investigate the fatal encounter.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - Snippets of a 13-minute 911 call detail the moments in which Brittany Clark, 31, fought for her life after an alligator attack.
The pleas to first responders for immediate medical attention were urgent as crying and wailing could be heard in the background.
"Somebody got bit by a gator."
"Real bad, hurry."
As the emergency operator tried to pinpoint Clark's exact location, at the Barr Street Trailhead within the Little Big Econ State Forest on June 28, her friends surrounding her fought to keep her alive.
"She’s losing a lot of blood."
"We need to stop the blood."
"Get a towel, here."
"She needs help, now!"
Seminole County deputy responds to deadly alligator attack | Body Cam
Released body camera footage shows a Seminole County deputy respond to a deadly alligator attack in the Little Big Econ State Forest on June 28. The victim, Brittany Clark, 31, died after being transported to the hospital as a trauma alert.
20-second body camera footage released
What we know:
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office released a brief 20-second clip of body camera footage showing a deputy responding to the scene. The footage shows the deputy running through the woods, then asking, "Where are we?"
He came upon a blue tent shielding Clark and a person helping her. The deputy acted quickly, placing his back on the ground and pulling out a black Velcro tourniquet.
Though the sheriff's office ended the video at that point, redacting the events that followed, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported the alligator had bitten both of Clark's arms.
After emergency responders arrived, she was transported as a trauma alert to a nearby hospital where she died.
Why was Brittany Clark in the water?
The backstory:
The FWC reported that Clark had been hiking with her boyfriend and friends at the Little Big Econ State Forest in Geneva when they decided to swim.
Clark was in about three feet of water when she was attacked.
Chad Weber, Public Information Officer (PIO) for Florida Fish and Wildlife didn't shed light on what might have prompted the attack, but said the end of alligators’ mating season is approaching, explaining that during this time alligators can be "very territorial."
"It’s hard to speculate and pinpoint what the exact reason was," he said.
2 alligators ‘harvested’ by trappers: FWC
Following the attack, officials used aerial tactics to locate and retrieve two exceptionally large alligators from the area, measuring 12 and 13 feet long.
The 13-foot alligator was located directly at the scene of the incident, while the 12-foot alligator was found nearby. Based on witness descriptions of a "very large alligator," officials believe one of these two reptiles was involved in the attack.
What's next:
The FWC has completed an analysis of the two alligators found, the agency said. The samples will be taken to the agency’s laboratory in Gainesville to determine whether the animals "harvested" were involved in the incident.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Seminole County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.