A 13-year-old boy was hospitalized Tuesday after being bitten by an alligator in Central Florida.
NBC6 affiliate WESH first reported the incident when trappers were called to Winter Springs, Florida after the boy called 911 himself.
"I can walk. I just got bit by a gator,” the boy calmly told the 911 operator. "I’m OK, though. I can walk and I can stand. I'm fine. It just stings a little bit, but I'm good."
A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, told WESH this has been an ongoing neighborhood concern.
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"We see kids jumping into the creek all the time from just down the street. Swimming around in the water and it's a big concern for everybody in this community,” the neighbor said.
Winter Springs police Capt. Doug Seely said the boy and some friends had been swimming and were getting out due to a storm. As the boy was getting out, the alligator came out of the water and bit him on the hip.
When the dispatcher asked where the gator went, the boy stated, "I don't know. I got out of the water as fast as I could."
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This area of Central Florida is well known for having a large population of alligators. Trappers were called Tuesday night and were back at the scene Wednesday to set traps to capture any gators in the area.
“We don't quit. We're going to trap this thing and get him out of here. Get these waterways safe again,” Jerry Flynn, a state nuisance alligator trapper, said.
Despite the incident, police said the teen was doing well and remains in good spirits.
