HAULOVER BEACH, Fla. – A beachgoer was bitten by a shark Sunday afternoon at Haulover Beach, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokeswoman Erika Benitez said.
Lifeguards said they became aware of a shark lurking in the water and immediately began blowing their whistles, gesturing for swimmers to get out of the water.
As people were getting out of the water, a man was bitten on the legs by what appeared to be a 4- to 5-foot bull shark, Benitez said.
"It started getting closer to the people at the sandbar and they tried to get out," witness Donovan Cecil told WPLG-TV. "One guy, it went straight towards him and bit his leg, pulled him, gave him a little tug, and I was freaking out."
The victim was able to get out of the water. He was helped by lifeguards and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"It could have been a lot worse," Cecil said.
A photograph taken by a witness showed Miami-Dade Fire Rescue treating the man.
"It's extremely rare," Lt. Matthew Sparling said. "This is the first shark attack in Miami-Dade County that I've been aware of working 20 years in ocean rescue."