TAYLOR COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Just three miles from the quiet Keaton Beach, a scary experience for one teenager and her family at Big Grass Island.
"One of the family members had heard that the person who was in the water making a sound, they observed what was going on that they were being bitten by a shark," Taylor County Sheriff's Office captain Gina Deeson said.
Deeson told ABC 27 a teenage girl and her brother were scalloping near Big Grass Island when a shark, described by family members as nine feet long, came up and bit the girl Thursday.
"The brother jumped into the water and was able to beat the shark off of the juvenile and get them free from the sharks grip and put them into the boat and try and get them to safety," Deeson said.
Deeson says they made it to shore and the girl was flown to a hospital in Tallahassee.
Captain Deeson says Big Grass Island a shallow grassy sand bar that's popular for boating.
With 4th of July weekend coming quickly, Deeson has this warning for anyone going out on the water.
"Respect the fact that there are animals, and sometimes dangerous animals that live in this water," Deeson said.
As they stay on alert to keep everyone safe.
Florida Fish and Wildlife says statistics on shark attacks, including a compilation of all known shark attacks in Florida can be found within the International Shark Attack File.
According to their records, neither Wakulla, Jefferson nor Taylor counties have any attacks on record.
Franklin County has two.
Their stats show attacks in Florida happen most often in September.
