Caught Via AOSHQAn Oakland Park teen who went swimming at the beach Thursday emerged with a nurse shark latched onto his abdomen.
A well-aimed punch by a Broward Fire-Rescue lieutenant forced the 3- to 4-foot-long shark to release its grip before it could do any serious damage to the teen. Brandon Chapman, 14, was treated and released at Broward Medical Center on Thursday evening for minor injuries from the shark.
The Broward Sheriff's Office said Chapman was in about three feet of water at Anglin's Fishing Pier in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea when the shark went after him just before 5 p.m. Thursday.
Someone at the fishing pier called the police about a shark attack, and officers arrived with fire-rescue personnel, who considered using an ax and a "Jaws of Life" extrication tool to separate the teen from the shark.
Fire Rescue Lt. Rob Melendez delivered the punch to the shark's nose that forced it to release its grip. "The shark was tossed back into the ocean and quickly swam away," the Sheriff's Office said.