A North Carolina girl was injured last weekend after coming in contact with an alligator while she and a group of other children were swimming in Lake Waccamaw, located about an hour east of Wilmington.

The Lake Waccamaw Police Department announced the incident on Friday, June 13, saying multiple children were playing in about four feet of water when the 12-year-old victim yelled, “Something bit me!”

The children were “rushed out of the water,” at which point an alligator surfaced in the shallow water, police said.

“The injuries sustained were serious but not life-threatening in any way,” the police department said. “It is also unclear as to if the injuries were caused by a bite or a claw. But they were definitely caused by the alligator.”

The NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s protocol is to euthanize an alligator any time it makes contact with a person. (iStock)

“We remind our residents and visitors to remain ever vigilant and aware of their surroundings. In this particular case, the gator was never seen till after the incident occurred, and multiple adults were present,” the police department said. “Please respect the water and understand these animals are not tame or pets. If you see one, maintain a safe distance at all times. And exit the water if you are in it.”

The NCWRC noted that incidents involving contact between people and alligators are “extremely rare” in the Tar Heel State and described the alligator’s behavior in the Lake Waccamaw incident as “unusual” but “not predatory in nature.”