The victim, who authorities have identified as 47-year-old Sean McGuinness, was discovered along the shoreline of Taylor Lake in Largo, Florida, by a bystander walking their dog early Tuesday morning, officials said. Largo is located just outside of Tampa, Florida.
Investigators believe the victim was looking for Frisbees sometime during the night when an alligator attacked him. “While the medical examiner will determine the exact cause of death, it was apparent that McGuinness suffered injuries related to alligators in the lake,” the release stated.
According to management at Taylor Park, McGuinness was known to frequent the park and enter the lake with disregard to the posted “No Swimming” signs, authorities said.
A witness told detectives that McGuinness was known to sell discs back to people within the park, and McGuinness was found within a few feet of a disc in the water.
Two alligators were captured on Tuesday night, however, necropsies revealed no evidence of their involvement with the deceased, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Forest Rothchild said in a statement on Wednesday.
Officials will continue to monitor for additional alligators in the area, the release stated.