Florida teen becomes 6th shark bite victim this year

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida sharks are doing their part for Shark Week, taking yet another bit out of beachgoers.

The latest victim is 18-year-old Reed Zipperer of Indian Harbor Beach, who was bitten on Monday surfing in New Smyrna Beach on his hand, according to Volusia County Beach Safety.

Zipperer was in waist-deep water when his hand was bitten. He was treated by lifeguards and drove himself to the hospital. The type of shark was not known. This is the second shark bite in three days in New Smyrna Beach. On Saturday, a 49-year-old man visiting from Arizona was bitten on the leg while boogie boarding. The weekend also had a reported shark bite in Jacksonville Beach, when a 23-yearold surfer was bitten on the elbow.

Earlier this year, a 16-year-old girl was bitten by a shark off Amelia Island on July 12, also while boogie boarding, and an 18year-old surfer was bitten by a shark off New Smyrna Beach on June 30. In April, a shark bit a teenager from Sanford on the calf while he waded in waist-deep water in New Smyrna Beach.

Most years, shark bites happen off Florida’s coasts more than anywhere else in the world, with Volusia County leading the way. That’s often due to surfers near Ponce Inlet getting bitten in the stirred up waters near New Smyrna Beach. According to the International Shark Attack File, for 2018, shark bites were down worldwide, with only 66 incidents recorded, down from 88 in 2017. Of the 66 in 2018, 32 happened in U.S. waters. Florida was home to half of the 32 attacks with 16 overall in 2018.