'He could have killed you': 911 audio released of alligator attack in South Carolina
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Updated: 8:11 AM EDT Apr 15, 2025
DIVERS WENT IN BUT THEY DID NOT FIND GARCIA. TERRIFYING MOMENTS IN SUN CITY. AN 84-YEAR-OLD MAN IS RECOVERING AFTER BEING ATTACKED BY AN ALLIGATOR IN HIS BACKYARD. THIS MORNING ... WE'RE HEARING THE FRANTIC NINE-ONE-ONE CALL AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT LED UP TO THE ATTACK. AS WJCL 22 NEWS' GREG COY REPORTS...THIS INCLUDES THE HEROIC ACTIONS AND EFFORTS OF THE VICTIM'S WIFE. "MY HUSBAND'S JUST BEEN ATTACKED BY AN ALLIGATOR. HE'S BLEEDING EVERYWHERE. HIS LEG IS A MESS." <BUTTED> "HOW OLD IS YOUR HUSBAND? 84." PANIC, FEAR AND A FIGHT TO SURVIVE. THIS 911 CALL REVEALS THE FRANTIC MOMENTS AFTER AN ALLIGATOR ATTACKED AN 84-YEAR-OLD MAN IN SUN CITY. ACCORDING TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE -- THE MAN WAS IN HIS BACKYARD SPREADING MULCH WHEN THE GATOR CAME FROM BEHIND AND BIT HIM. "HE HAD HIS ARM IN HIS MOUTH, AND I POKED THE ALLIGATOR IN THE EYE." <BUTTED> "HE'S GOT A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE LEG WOUND." HIS WIFE TOLD DEPUTIES SHE ACTED FAST - GRABBING A TOMATO STAKE AND HITTING THE ALLIGATOR IN THE EYES AND HEAD UNTIL IT FINALLY LET GO. "COME ON. JUST PLEASE COME." <BUTTED> "HE'S GOT A CONTUSION ON HIS HEAD AND HIS ARM. HIS ARM THAT THE ALLIGATOR HAD HIS MOUTH AROUND." THE MAN WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE BEFORE BEING RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES LATER CAPTURED AND EUTHANIZED THE ALLIGATOR, CALLING IT "VERY AGGRESSIVE." IT'S A CHILLING REMINDER OF HOW QUICKLY A PREDATOR CAN STRIKE - ESPECIALLY WHEN HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. <SOT - GATOR EXPERT> "YOU WILL NOT KNOW THAT THEY COULD BE A 12-FOOT GATOR. YOU WOULD NOT KNOW HE'S THERE. AND THEY WILL WAIT FOR THAT DEER, THAT RACCOON, TO BE LOOKING THE OTHER WAY. AND THEY AMBUSH. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED." THE ALLIGATOR'S SILENT APPROACH ... CATCHING THE COUPLE OFF GUARD. "SO THIS OCCURRED IN THE BACKYARD. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND SO JUST IN JUST SOME CLEAR THE ALLIGATOR IS N
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'He could have killed you': 911 audio released of alligator attack in South Carolina
The 911 call a South Carolina woman made after an alligator attacked her husband has been released. According to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, the 84-year-old man was in his backyard in Sun City spreading mulch when the gator came from behind and bit him. In the 911 call, his wife said, "He had his arm in his mouth and I poked the alligator in the eye." She continued, "he's got a horrible, horrible leg wound." His wife told deputies she acted fast, grabbing a tomato stake and hitting the alligator in the eyes and head until it finally let go. "He's got a contusion on his head and his arm. His arm that the alligator had his mouth around," his wife told 911 operators. The man was treated at the scene before being rushed to the hospital. The Department of Natural Resources later captured and euthanized the alligator, calling it "very aggressive." It's a chilling reminder of how quickly a predator can strike, especially when hidden in plain sight."You will not know that they could be a 12-foot gator. You would not know he's there and they will wait for that deer, that raccoon, to be looking the other way and they ambush. That's exactly what happened," an alligator expert said. The alligator's silent approach caught the couple off guard. At the end of the 911 audio, you can overhear the wife telling her husband, "He could have killed you."
SUN CITY HILTON HEAD, S.C. —
The 911 call a South Carolina woman made after an alligator attacked her husband has been released.
According to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, the 84-year-old man was in his backyard in Sun City spreading mulch when the gator came from behind and bit him. In the 911 call, his wife said, "He had his arm in his mouth and I poked the alligator in the eye." She continued, "he's got a horrible, horrible leg wound."
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His wife told deputies she acted fast, grabbing a tomato stake and hitting the alligator in the eyes and head until it finally let go. "He's got a contusion on his head and his arm. His arm that the alligator had his mouth around," his wife told 911 operators.
The man was treated at the scene before being rushed to the hospital. The Department of Natural Resources later captured and euthanized the alligator, calling it "very aggressive." It's a chilling reminder of how quickly a predator can strike, especially when hidden in plain sight.
"You will not know that they could be a 12-foot gator. You would not know he's there and they will wait for that deer, that raccoon, to be looking the other way and they ambush. That's exactly what happened," an alligator expert said.
The alligator's silent approach caught the couple off guard. At the end of the 911 audio, you can overhear the wife telling her husband, "He could have killed you."
