Alabama police: Teen bitten, possibly by a shark

People walk on a pier with their fishing poles during sunrise on the Gulf of Mexico, in Orange Beach, Ala., Friday, March 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
People walk on a pier with their fishing poles during sunrise on the Gulf of Mexico, in Orange Beach, Ala., Friday, March 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (AP) - A 15-year-old boy swimming with his father in the Gulf of Mexico off Alabama may have been bitten by a shark, authorities said.

It happened about 1:20 p.m. Friday in waters near condominiums at Orange Beach, Orange Beach Assistant Police Chief Robert Howard said. Police said the teenager was near a sand bar when the incident occurred.

Police told news outlets the teenager's injuries consist of a "mile abrasion and a few small puncture wounds." The father told investigators he saw a large number of small fish swimming around them and, as they were leaving the area, his son felt pain, Howard told news outlets. Neither the father nor the victim saw a shark or any large fish when that happened, police said.

The victim's family took him to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Orange Beach Safety Chief Brett Lesinger tells WEAR-TV that it appeared to be a shark bite. Though rare, Lesinger said that would be the third time someone has been bit by a shark at Orange Beach in the past 10 years.

Upcoming Events