According to records in the International Shark Attack File, there have been five fatal bull shark attacks in Florida’s recorded history, dating back to 1988. Keep in mind that there could be some unofficially reported bull shark attacks which are not listed below that may have not been documented or may have initially misidentified a bull shark as another species.
Date | Victim | Location | Attack Description |
---|---|---|---|
Sept. 13, 1988 | John Martin | Panama City Beach, FL | Killed while snorkeling around Shell Island by a 10-foot bull shark that had caused fatal thigh and hand wounds. |
Sept. 13, 1995 | William Covert | Islamorada, FL | Killed by a 10–12-foot bull shark while diving near Alligator Reef off Islamorada |
August 30, 2000 | Thadeus Kubinski | Pinellas County, FL | Killed while swimming behind his home pier in Pinellas County, Florida. Died from massive blood loss and organ damage before rescuers could get to him. The bull shark was estimated to be 9 feet long and weigh 400 pounds. |
June 25, 2005 | Jamie Marie Daigle | Destin, FL | Daigle was killed while swimming with a friend on boogie boards about 200 yards off a beach in Walton County, Florida, 8 miles east of Destin, Florida. Witnesses estimated the shark was 6–8 feet long. Her left leg was severed and she died of massive blood loss |
February 3, 2010 | Stephen Howard Schafer | Stuart, FL | Schafer was attacked while kitesurfing around 4:15 p.m. about 500 yards off an unguarded section of a beach south of Stuart Beach in Martin County, Florida. Authorities initially thought multiple sharks may have been involved in the incident due to reports by rescuers that he was surrounded by sharks. The Martin County medical examiner’s office concluded he died from massive blood loss from a leg wound. |
