Shark attacks four beachgoers in one day

Four beachgoers are believed to have been attacked by the same shark in one day, authorities said.

According to a release by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the incidents happened on the fourth of July at South Padre Island in the southern coast of Texas.

ABC News reported that Texas Game Warden Capt. Chris Dowdy told its affiliate KRGV that one of the victims had a “severe” leg bite before lunch time that day. Police and fire departments responded to the emergency before he was rushed to Valley Regional Medical Center for medical assistance.

Dowdy said another individual was “bitten by the shark, while one was grazed and another injured fending off the shark.” Their injuries are still being treated as of writing.

The shark reached the open waters when the separate attacks happened, per Dowdy. Containing the shark is not part of their plans at the moment but they have been “patrolling the shoreline and using drones” to monitor the area since.

The TPWD said shark encounters like such “are not a common occurrence” in Texas. “When bites from sharks do occur, they are usually a case of mistaken identity by sharks looking for food,” they explained.

“If you see large schools of bait near the shore, this typically an indicator a predator is nearby, or if you see a shark in the water, calmly exit the water and wait for the predatory wildlife to pass,” they advised beachgoers.