Florida Man Killed by Alligator

[norml]

Updated: 01:52 AM EST
Florida Man Killed by Alligator

LAKELAND, Fla. (March 15) - A man found dead in a pond was the victim of a nearly nine-foot alligator that was captured and killed, the medical examiner's office said Tuesday.

Officials did not know what Don Owen, 56, a truck driver from Bartow, was doing at the pond about a dozen miles from his home. He had been missing since Wednesday when he was seen at a convenience store.

On Saturday his remains were found by several men fishing in Six Pound Pond. An autopsy determined he had been killed by the eight-foot, nine-inch alligator, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

Trappers caught the alligator Monday. Owen's forearm was found in its stomach.

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http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050315235109990012

[RagingInMiami]

1. I hope he was a republican

[mark414]

2. ohhhh snap

[Jamastiene]

3. I do too. Of course,

only a Republican would be stupid enough to get that close to a wild alligator (without the respect and knowledge that they'll chew you up) to begin with.

[Nay]

6. (Native Floridian here) to give the poor guy a break, you all have

to realize that alligators are very quiet, very sneaky, and very fast. Most people who get snagged by a gator don't see it coming. They're feeding ducks, or fishing, or whatnot, and BAM.

[Floogeldy]

4. Another reason why all people in his situation should have a .44 Magnum

B-)

[Must_B_Free]

5. Pics???

[lpbk2713]

8. Here's your picture.

And BTW a gator doesn't usually attack confrontationally, he won't walk up to his prey on dry land and attack. He will lurk under the water where he can't be seen and then when he thinks the time is right he will give a massive thrust with his powerful tail and leap through the surface at his victim before the victim knows what's happening. The gator will then pull the prey into deeper water and pull it down and drown it. I have lived in Florida for almost 50 years and I give them every bit of respect. Actually I live less than ten miles away from where this happened.

Link: http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050316/NEWS/503160335

[blindpig]

7. fishy

what was he doing there? Was he drunk and/or stupid? In the course of my life I've spent as much time as possible in the proximity of gators and never been the target of aggression or feeding behavior. Not to say it doesn't happen but gators usually have a sense of proportion: dogs and children are more their size. Nine foot is not all that big either. Gators are no strangers to carrion either, a meals a meal.

My point being that perhaps this unfortunate was the victim of foul play or drown accidental and the gator took the rap. Maybe.