A park ranger working at Edward Medard Park discovered a deceased male last night. The person has been identified as Larry Webb, 71, of Lithia.
Shortly after 7 p.m., May 14, Deputies arrived on scene and found Webb down a trail near the shoreline of the lake. He was lying partially in the water by a tackle box and fishing pole. There were no visible signs of trauma to the body; the official cause of death is pending autopsy.
During their investigation, deputies noticed gator activity increasing as daylight faded. While waiting for the Medical Examiner’s Office to respond, one alligator, about seven feet long, began circling in front of Webb. The gator swam directly toward the body. Fearing that the body was possibly about to be tampered with, if not lost all together, one deputy discharged one round and struck the alligator in the skull, just behind the right eye. Upon being struck, the alligator immediately submerged under water and was not seen again. Florida Wildlife Conservation
was notified of the incident.