Man Killed in Suspected Alligator Attack While Looking for Frisbees at Florida Park, Police Say

Abigail Adams
·2 min read
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A man has died following a suspected alligator attack at John S. Taylor Park, according to police.

The Largo Police Department — who identified the victim as Sean Thomas McGuinness, 47 — said the man "suffered injuries related to alligators" after wading into Taylor Lake, according to the Associated Press.

"While the medical examiner will determine the exact cause of death, it was apparent that McGuinness suffered injuries related to alligators in the lake," police said in a statement, according to NBC News.

Police believe McGuinness was looking for Frisbees and other flying discs to sell and was known to regularly visit Taylor Park, which is home to a disc golf course, according to the AP.

The Lago Police Department and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

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McGuinness' body was discovered around 8 a.m. on Tuesday by a person walking their dog, police said, per the Times. It is unclear when he entered the lake, but officials believe he did so at night and was not in the water for long before being discovered.

alligator
alligator

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Paul Cozzie, director of Parks and Conservation Resources in Pinellas County, told The New York Times that it appeared McGuinness "went in before the park opened — unfortunately not a good time to be in any lake, but especially during alligator mating season."

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Two alligators — measuring in at 10-feet 8-feet-long — believed to be involved in the attack have since been euthanized, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Wednesday, reported NBC affiliate WFLA. However, authorities said initial necropsies returned no evidence to suggest they were involved in McGuinness' death.

In an email, Florida Fish and Wildlife said, "efforts are underway to monitor for additional alligators in the area," per the AP.

The news agency reported that this is the first deadly alligator attack in Florida since 2019.