US Alligator Attack Statistics
The earliest known instance of a fatal alligator attack in the US goes back to 1685. Since then, more than 40 instances of fatal alligator attacks have been recorded.
This article covers the US states and cities that are alligator hotspots and the deadliest months for alligator attacks, along with some of the ages of those who fell prey to these dangerous animals.
View Fatal Alligator Attacks in the U.S. in a full screen map
Fatal Alligator Attack Hotspots: States and Cities
There have been 44 reported alligator attacks in the US across five Southern states. Of these, Florida has had the highest number of incidents (32). Florida is followed by South Carolina in alligator attacks (6), while Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia have reported three, two, and one attack(s), respectively. That said, alligators can also be found in Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Oklahoma—though no fatalities have been reported in these states.
Incidents are spread across various cities and counties. The list below summarizes those with more than one reported attack since records began:
- Charlotte County, Florida: 2
- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina: 2
- Lakeland, Florida: 2
- Largo , Florida: 2
- Martin County, Florida: 2
- Sanibel, Florida: 2
Five Florida cities or counties listed above have experienced two tragic incidents. In the 1970s, an alligator killed 52-year-old George Leonard while he was swimming in Charlotte County’s Peace River Canal. In 1988, the victim was Erin Glover, age 4, who was attacked and killed while walking along the shore of Hidden Lake, also in Charlotte County.
Youngest and Oldest Alligator Victims
Those attacked and killed by alligators in the US range from just two years old to age 90. We’ll take a closer look at the youngest of these on the table below.
| Name | Age | Sex | State | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Murphy | 2 | Female | Florida | 2001 |
| Lane Graves | 2 | Male | Florida | 2016 |
| Adam Binford | 3 | Male | Florida | 1997 |
| Erin Glover | 4 | Female | Florida | 1988 |
| Allen Rice | 9 | Male | Florida | 1957 |
| Bradley Weidenhamer | 10 | Male | Florida | 1993 |
| Robert Crespo | 11 | Male | Florida | 1984 |
| Brian Griffin | 12 | Male | Florida | 2003 |
| Phillip Rastrelli | 14 | Male | Florida | 1978 |
| Sharon Holmes | 16 | Female | Florida | 1973 |
The youngest victims, Alexandria Murphy and Lane Graves were both just two years old at the time of their attack. Alexandria Murphy wandered away from her fenced backyard and was fatally wounded just 700 feet from her home on Lake Cannon in Winter Haven, Florida.
An alligator dragged Lane Graves underwater in the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa just outside of Orlando, Florida. When his parents tried to rescue him, his father was attacked by a second alligator.
As for the oldest victim, 90-year-old Bonnie Walker was killed in a retention pond near Brookdale Senior Living Center in Charleston, South Carolina. According to coroners, she died from “multiple sharp and blunt force injuries” that are consistent with those inflicted by an alligator.
The Deadliest Months for Alligator Attacks
Florida and Southern states are clearly hotspots for deadly alligator attacks. But are there patterns in the time of year they happen?
Of the 43 fatal alligator attacks that included time of year, the summer months have seen the most attacks (29 from May through August). Specifically, June had the highest amount (11). This includes one attack during the 1800s, three during the 1900s, and seven attacks in more recent years.
A couple of winter months (January and December) have seen zero attacks, so that may be the safest time to travel to the Sunshine State.
It’s worth noting that alligator attacks are less deadly than bear attacks. As for sharks and snakes, you’ll have to find out for yourself using our maps.
