Orlando, Florida – Brittany Clark, 31, was fatally attacked by a massive alligator while swimming in the Econlockhatchee River on Sunday, June 28, 2026. Her boyfriend, Chance Allison, initially believed she was joking as the 12- to 13-foot reptile grabbed her arms and began a deadly “death roll.”

The couple, along with their roommate Jayden Hernandez, were hiking in the Little Big Econ State Forest near Orlando when they decided to cool off in the river. Clark was wading in about three feet of water when the alligator struck.

Allison recounted the horror to the New York Post: “For the first two seconds I thought ‘Is she joking?’” He desperately tried to pull her arms from the alligator’s jaws while calling 911. “It felt like it went on forever,” he said.

First responders arrived quickly. Bodycam footage released by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office shows a deputy rushing to the scene and applying a tourniquet as Allison performed CPR on the riverbank. Clark was airlifted to a hospital but succumbed to her severe injuries, which included the loss of both arms.

Wildlife officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission later captured and euthanized two large alligators in the area as part of their investigation.

Clark, originally from the Sacramento area but living in Orlando, was remembered by loved ones as an outgoing, adventurous, and caring person who loved being outdoors. Her brother described her as “the most beautiful person” and someone very familiar with water activities.

Allison shared that the couple had been making future plans together. “Brittany was such an amazing and caring person and didn’t deserve to go out in such a way. She was the strongest and most outgoing person I’ve ever met,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

The incident is the latest in a series of alligator attacks in Central Florida, highlighting the risks of swimming in natural waterways where these reptiles thrive. Officials continue to investigate, including whether the alligator had prior human contact that may have contributed to its behavior.