Alligator Kills 85-Year-Old US Woman While She Was Walking Her Dog

An 85-year-old woman from Florida, US was killed in an alligator attack while she was walking her dog, NBC reported. The woman was walking her dog near a pond at a retirement community when the attack took place.

According to CNN, officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call about an apparent alligator bite in St. Lucie, Florida.

FWC spokesperson Arielle Callender told CNN the woman was with her dog when the incident happened and the dog survived, although its condition was currently unknown.

According to media reports, when the woman was walking the dog, an alligator lunged out and grabbed the pooch. The woman tried to save the dog but lost her life in that attempt. St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara told WPTV he estimated the alligator to be close to 11 feet long.

The woman's body was recovered and the alligator involved was captured by a contracted nuisance alligator trapper.

"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the victim," the FWC statement said.

"The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property," the statement said.