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Four Injured by Shark Attack on July 4th, South Padre Island

Dowdy confirmed the shark attack near South Padre Island's Wanna Wanna Beach Bar and Grill.

Published July 5, 2024 at 8:12am by Marley Malenfant


Four injured in apparent #sharkattack on South Padre Island, Texas.

What happened:

  • A shark attack occurred near Wanna Wanna Beach Bar and Grill on South Padre Island, Texas, over the Fourth of July holiday.
  • Texas Game Warden Captain Chris Dowdy reports two people were bitten, two others escaped injury.
  • One victim was taken to Valley Regional Medical Center, the other airlifted for treatment.
  • U.S. Coast Guard used drones, boats, and helicopters to monitor the area.

Shark Info:

  • Dowdy believes a single shark was responsible for all four encounters over a two-hour period.
  • The shark has escaped to open waters, and there is no plan to contain it.
  • Sharks rarely attack, per University of Florida's International Shark Attack File (ISAF).
  • Lifetime odds of a fatal shark attack are 1 in 4 million, says ISAF.
  • Texas counties with the most shark attacks: [Galveston (19), Nueces (12), Cameron (7), Brazoria (3), Matagorda (2), Kleberg (1), and Calhoun (1)](http://www.re密西斯iments.org/ shark_attacks_ rep. asp?county_id=0).
  • Beachgoers, take note: Large schools of baitfish near the shore can indicate a predator is nearby. If you spot a shark, exit the water calmly and wait for it to pass.

Read more: Shark attack on Texas' South Padre Island leaves 4 people injured on Fourth of July