2 huge alligators killed after Florida woman dies in alligator attack, FWC says

GENEVA, Fla. - Two massive alligators were trapped and killed in the Little Big Econ State Forest after an Orlando woman was attacked – and died – while swimming with her boyfriend and her best friend over the weekend, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said.

DNA samples from the alligators have been sent to a lab to determine if either one was the gator that attacked the woman, officials said during a Monday afternoon news conference.

Watch: Full press conference

Woman, boyfriend, best friend stopped to swim after a long hike, officials say

What we know:

Seminole County officials received a 911 call from the woman's boyfriend, around 1:30 p.m., June 28, who was "trying to get her from the alligator’s mouth," Chad Weber, Public Information Officer (PIO) for Florida Fish & Wildlife, said during a June 29 media briefing. 

The woman was bitten on both of her arms, he said. 

When first responders arrived, the woman was transported as a trauma alert to a nearby trauma center, Seminole County Fire reported. 

The FWC later reported the woman died from her injuries. 

FWC officials said the woman was hiking with her boyfriend when they stopped to swim in three feet of water. 

Though it's not known what prompted the alligator to attack, Weber said, "Right now, in our investigation, it doesn’t look like they were doing anything malicious to the alligator."

2 alligators ‘harvested’ by trappers: FWC

Following the attack, officials used aerial tactics to locate and retrieve two exceptionally large alligators from the area, measuring 12 and 13 feet long.

The 13-foot alligator was located directly at the scene of the incident, while the 12-foot alligator was found nearby. Based on witness descriptions of a "very large alligator," officials believe one of these two reptiles was involved in the attack.

What's next:

The FWC has completed an analysis of the two alligators found, the agency said. The samples will be taken to the agency’s laboratory in Gainesville to determine whether the animals "harvested" were involved in the incident.

No designated swimming areas in Little Big Econ State Forest

The Florida Forest Service said there are no designated swimming areas within the Little Big Econ State Forest. That spokesperson said there is signage at the beginning of the Barr Street Trailhead that warns of alligator activity in the area.

The Barr Street Trailhead is closed until FWC concludes its investigation.

Alligators can be found in every county in Florida

Weber spoke about the risk of injury when entering Florida's water. 

"Every body of water could potentially have an alligator in it," Weber said. "… There is some risk when you swim in the bodies of water in the state of Florida." 

Weber didn't shed light on what might have prompted the attack, but said the end of alligators’ mating season is approaching, explaining that during this time alligators can be "very territorial." 

"It’s hard to speculate and pinpoint what the exact reason was," he said. 

What we don't know:

The FWC has not identified the woman who was killed as officials are still working to notify out-of-state family members of her death, officials said.

Activities at Little Big Econ State Forest

Little Big Econ State Forest is a popular recreation spot for biking, camping, fishing, hiking, paddling and more, the Florida Department of Agriculture's website said. 

The winding Econlockhatchee River – known as "The Econ," which flows 17 miles through the forest – empties into the St. Johns River. The forest is home to a variety of wildlife, including alligators, southern fox squirrels, gopher tortoises, gopher frogs, bald eagles and more.