Texas Archives • Tracking Sharks

Graphic- Swimmer bitten by shark in Galveston, Texas

August 9, 2018November 7, 2018 Kevin McMurray

A swimmer has been bitten by a shark in Galveston, Texas. Blaine Shelton was off Crystal Beach around 10 a.m. when he was bitten on the leg. The 42-year-old was around 200 yards off the beach and close to the second sandbar when he saw a shark’s tale. Around 5 seconds later the shark bumped him and half bite the plumbers leg just above the knee. Shelton began frantically swimming towards the shore with the 5- to 6-foot bull shark following behind. He was treated on scene by emergency personal…

Shark bite reported in Texas

September 6, 2017 Kevin McMurray

A woman was bitten by a shark at South Padre Island, Texas. The unidentified woman was in roughly knee-deep water off Bougainvillea beach access 14 on September 2. As she was walking through the water, a shark grabbed her left foot. She saw the estimated 3- to 4-foot shark and was able to pull her foot from its mouth. Beach Patrol members responded to the call shortly before 6 p.m. “The water’s been flat,” said South Padre Island beach patrol director Jim Pigg. “We get lots of stingrays and had…

Boogie boarder bitten by a shark in Texas

July 19, 2016November 9, 2018 Kevin McMurray

A boogie boarder has been bitten by a shark in Texas. Justin Culpepper was enjoying his Sunday by boarding in chest-deep water near three mile cut off Matagorda Beach on July 10, He was on his board between the first and second sandbar just before 4:30 p.m. when when he was bitten. “He was one [expletive]-off shark. I must have stepped on him or something.” Culpepper told the Bay City Tribune. Culpepper looked down and saw the sharks mouth wrapped around his right foot and lower leg. He said the…

Shark Bite in Texas

June 15, 2016May 10, 2017 Kevin McMurray

A six-year-old girl has been bitten by a shark in Texas on Tuesday. Marian Melton was floating in a pink ring around 5:30 p.m. off Pirates Beach in Galveston. She was between the sandbars on the way back to the beach with her father and brother when she was bitten on the left leg. Peter Davis of the Galveston Beach Patrol told KHOU “The father heard the daughter scream, she was in knee-deep water, his knee-deep water, she was in a little ring tube and he looked over and saw…

Battle with a Bull Shark

February 9, 2016 Kevin McMurray

Keith Love was spearfishing off the coast of Texas when he got into a battle with a bull shark. The 31-year-old, who runs spearfishing expeditions for his company Tuff Extreme, had taken clients out in the Gulf of Mexico. The group had speared a few wahoo fish and several sharks had taken notice and began swimming around the area. Mr. Love free dove down to around 15 or 20 feet and speared another wahoo. Normally when a fish is speared it tries to flee and swims away from the diver.…

Teen bitten by shark in Galveston, TX

October 6, 2015November 20, 2018 Kevin McMurray

Gregory Slaughter was bitten by a shark in Galveston, Texas. The 13-year-old was in waist-deep water with his brother Bobby Anderson near a seawall. Suddenly a school of fish surrounded the boys and they decided to swim back to the shore. That’s when the shark hit, biting Gregory’s hands and foot. Bobby heard his brothers cry and swam to his aid. He punched the shark, which swam away. Gregory suffered a severe laceration to his left Ankle, two broken tendons, a small fracture in his thumb and currently cannot move…

Texas teen bitten by shark

June 10, 2014September 10, 2015 Kevin McMurray

Mikaela Amezaga was in waist deep water cooling off when she felt a bump on her right shoulder. After returning to shore and telling her family, they noticed blood dripping from a wound. After seeing her family’s reaction, the teen began to cry. The in the Isla Del Sol community on the west end of Galveston Island. The 14yo did not have to get stitches and was treated on seen by a physician who had been visiting with the family. Her father Daniel Amezaga told Chron “I couldn’t believe it. …