Snipers protect rescue divers from alligators as they search for missing people in Florida pond

When witnesses and police jumped into the water to help, they realized that it was infested with alligators

By Katarina Hall

May 31, 2022 2:51pm

Updated: June 1, 2022 7:45pm

Snipers protected several rescue divers who got into an alligator-infested pond in Florida to search for two people who had been in a car accident, according to reports.

Nieves Matos, 80, and her son, Mario Laza, 56, were traveling in their Toyota minivan on the Florida Turnpike in Miami on Friday when their vehicle lost control, causing them to crash into a retention pond off of the high-way.

“The vehicle lost control, overturned, driving off of the roadway into the pond,” said FHP Lt. Alex Camacho.

When witnesses and police jumped into the water to help, they realized that it was infested with alligators. Snipers had to be called in to protect rescuers from any potential alligator attacks as they attempted to locate the victims.

Video footage from local media shows snipers laying on their stomachs with their guns propped up as rescuers looked for the crash victims. It is unclear if snipers had to fire any shots.

Florida deploys snipers, prepared to take out menacing alligators, during car crash rescue. pic.twitter.com/QkhImPOI4m
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) May 31, 2022

“Dive teams from fire rescue and Miami-Dade Police did their search and rescue and were able to rescue an adult female and adult male inside of the vehicle at the time,” Camacho added.

First responders need to do an emergency water rescue.https://t.co/AyuxWANJ8q
Because this is in Florida, they need police snipers on scene in case all the alligators in the water want to attack the first responders or the victims. pic.twitter.com/z1yNODRxUV
— NYC EMS Watch (@NYCEMSwatch) May 31, 2022

The minivan was also pulled out from the retention pond and was towed away from the scene.

The two individuals were eventually located and pulled out from the water. Matos survived the accident. Laza was transported to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities are continuing their investigation of the incident.