Shark spotted on video near South Padre Island in Texas before series of attacks on July 4

July 5, 2024

Updated on July 5, 2024, 06:52 IST

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

On July 4, four people were reportedly injured by a shark off the south coast of Texas.
The two people who were attacked by the shark were taken to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, Texas, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
A video from CBS News showed police officers and Good Samaritans responding to the incident when a woman was bitten on the left leg.

On July 4, four people were injured by a shark off the south coast of Texas, authorities said. The accidents occurred near South Padre Island, a popular beach resort.

Weslaco, Texas-based ABC station KRGV received confirmation from Texas Game Warden Captain Chris Dowdy that four encounters with the shark were recorded, two of which were confirmed bites, and the waters off South Padre Island were the scene of these occurrences.

Around 11 a.m. local time on Thursday, South Padre Island police received a call regarding a man who had suffered a severe shark bite to the leg near the 4100 block of Gulf Boulevard. The victim was treated at the scene by police and fire department first responders before being transported to a local hospital. Authorities have not released the man’s current condition.

At the scene of the attack, a beachgoer saw a shark swimming along the shoreline. The shark was said to be near the beachgoers at the time of the incident and this film supports those claims.

The same shark bit a second person in another incident. Additionally, Captain Dowdy stated that one person suffered abrasions and another was injured while attempting to thwart the shark. Officials later clarified the nature of these encounters after initial reports incorrectly reported four separate shark bites.

Additionally, Captain Dowdy said the shark has since sailed out to sea and that no preparations are currently being made to capture or contain it. Drones are being used to monitor the situation while the South Padre Island Beach Patrol and local police and fire departments are patrolling the beach intensively.

The two people attacked by the shark were taken to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, Texas, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Later, one of the injured was airlifted to another hospital. The victims’ complaints and names remain confidential.

Video obtained by CBS News showed police and Good Samaritans responding to the incident when a woman was bitten on her left leg. In the video, the woman is seen being pulled from the water and her leg is covered with a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. A dorsal fin can be seen near shore.

Captain Chris Dowdy told the Associated Press that the attacks were likely carried out by a single, six-foot-long shark. In an email to CBS News, Dr. Kelsey Banks, a research associate at the Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, hypothesized that the footage showed a “larger species of shark.”

After the attacks, authorities immediately dispatched boats, a helicopter and drones to search for sharks. A Coast Guard lieutenant said the city was considering closing the beach to the public.

South Padre Island is a 113-mile-long barrier island off the southern coast of Texas and is known for its resorts and beaches. Due to recent shark encounters, beachgoers and community officials are becoming more vigilant and taking extra precautions.