A 14-year-old boy is recovering at Camp Lejune Naval Hospital after being bitten in the leg by a shark off North Carolina on Sunday, according to the North Topsail Beach Chief of Police William Younginer.
Police officers and EMS were already on the scene responding to another call when the attack happened around 12:30 p.m., and personnel responded within two minutes, Younginer said.
Bystanders got the teenager out of the water and applied towels and pressure to stop the bleeding, while a police officer applied a tourniquet and EMS stabilized the patient, the chief said.
The victim was then taken to Camp Lejune Naval Hospital where medical staff treated his leg, according to police. The boy should be released from the hospital soon, Younginer told CNN.
Shark attacks, often characterized as “unusual,” have been occurring steadily this summer season.
There were no reported shark sightings, and the attack is “an unusual occurrence” for the area, according to Younginer.
Tamayo Perry, an actor, professional lifeguard and surf instructor, was attacked by a shark Sunday on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, officials said. Perry was taken to shore before he was pronounced dead by first responders, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services stated.
It’s not known what species of shark attacked Perry.
According to the International Shark Attack File’s 2023 report, there were 120 shark-human interactions worldwide last year, with 69 unprovoked bites. Thirty-six of those cases took place in the US, with three non-fatal in North Carolina.
CNN’s Paradise Afshar contributed to this report.
