1 Dead in Fatal Alligator Attack at South Carolina Retention Pond Near Myrtle Beach

Alligator.Photo: Getty

One person has been killed in a fatal alligator attack in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The unnamed victim was found last Friday around 11:45 a.m. near Excalaber Court outside of Myrtle Beach, after Horry County Fire Rescue responded to a water rescue call.

“Upon arrival, units determined that an alligator took hold of a neighbor who was near the edge of a retention pond and retreated into the retention pond,” the Horry County Police Department posted onFacebook.

Officials said the victim’s body was safely recovered, and the alligator responsible was found and humanely euthanized on the advice of a biologist from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

On Friday, Repak responded to the tragic news with a more serious message. “I couldn’t have imagined that it was likely one of these alligators that would later kill a man,” hetweeted. “My prayers and heart go out to the family as my arms wrap tighter around my kids and dogs near these ponds.”

Speaking to theThe New York Timeson Sunday, Repak said that alligators are frequently seen at the retention ponds near his building.

“We’ve always looked at the alligators as a part of the community,” he told theTimes. “Everybody treats them with a healthy respect. You try to maintain distance from the banks, and when you see them out, you admire them from afar. They’re a part of nature.”

source: people.com