GRAPHIC: Four People Savagely Attacked by Shark on Independence Day at Texas Beach

On Independence Day, a six-foot bull shark attacked four individuals on a beach at South Padre Island, leading to two people being injured by shark bites.

One man suffered a severe injury to his leg after being bitten by the shark, KRGV.com reported.

“I turned around, and he wasn’t there anymore,” Rayner Cardenas, the man’s father-in-law told the news outlet. “I started swimming towards him, and he jumped out of the water saying shark, shark, shark and that’s when adrenaline kicked in. I started swimming after him.”

DPS helicopter camera footage from today captured a shark near the SPI shoreline, where multiple people were attacked. https://t.co/jty4mjUnIA pic.twitter.com/9aqtZQVqSQ

— NBC 23 RGV (@kveotv23) July 4, 2024

According to officials, the man was the initial victim of a lone bull shark attack, which eventually claimed four victims. Social media posts on X depict the harrowing shark attack on a woman.

Shark attack today on South Padre Island. A friend shared this with me this morning Warning Graphic#4thofJuly #Sharkbite pic.twitter.com/vKjWQezoJZ

— BubbaGreene (@money_bubby) July 4, 2024

A sequence of images depicts the extent of the woman’s injuries from the shark attack, revealing a substantial portion of her left calf that was removed by the shark.

Shark attack this morning in South Padre Island. Prayers for this lady! 😳🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/InwFEaEAau

— don’tcallheramy (@deanda_min3) July 4, 2024

‘A beachgoer captured a video showing a pair of sharks swimming just off the shore in the surf.

@cnnbrk @FoxNews @ksatnews here’s footage of a shark about 20 feet from shore on South Padre Island this morning… it bit a beachgoer on the thigh, who was taken away on a stretcher by beach EMS. #southpadreislandshark #sharkattack #fourthofjulysharkattack #southpadreisland pic.twitter.com/Wt0HGeBAWh

— Katie McMillan 💛🌵 (@kb_mcmillan) July 4, 2024

Shortly after, helicopters from the DPS and crews from the Coast Guard initiated patrols of the beach area to monitor the sharks.

Shark hunting on South Padre Island after several attacks today. pic.twitter.com/3CNoCGZyML

— SpacePadre (@SpacePadreIsle) July 4, 2024

Two off-duty Border, Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents rescued the injured woman from the Gulf of Mexico, as reported by Laredo Sector officials.

The two other victims of the shark attack did not need to be hospitalized.

After being attacked by a shark known for striking its prey before attacking, 18-year-old Victoria Ramos described the impact as comparable to being hit by a quarterback.

Paramedics treated her for minor lacerations before releasing her on the beach, as stated on ValleyCentral.com.

According to Game Warden Capt. Chris Dowdy, authorities suspect that a single 6-foot-long shark was responsible for all of the attacks.

Officials report that shark attacks are “extremely rare.” Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr. released a statement, saying, “The County is working closely with Mayor Patrick McNulty, the City of South Padre Island, and our state and federal partners to patrol the beaches and take appropriate action.”

Treviño added, “This is a horrendous event, the County will continue to provide all resources needed to keep our families protected to the best of our abilities. We greatly appreciate the support of our city, state, and federal partners in this effort.”