Shark attacks man in water off South Padre Island on Fourth of July

(SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas) — A man was attacked by a shark on the Fourth of July while in the waters off South Padre Island in Texas, police said.

The South Padre Island Police Department said it received a call reporting a “severe” shark bite to the leg at around 11 a.m. local time Thursday near the 4100 block of Gulf Boulevard.

First responders from the South Padre Island police and fire departments provided treatment at the scene before the man was transported to a nearby hospital, police said. A police spokesperson did not provide an update on the man’s condition.

Footage from a beachgoer who witnessed the incident showed a shark swimming near the shore in the vicinity of the attack.

The South Padre Island Beach patrol, along with the fire and police departments, are currently patrolling the shoreline and using drones, police said.