(OAHU, Hawaii) — A 14-year-old boy is recovering after a shark bit him on the leg at a North Carolina beach, authorities said.
The attack unfolded around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, North Topsail Beach Police Chief William Younginer said. Beachgoers sprung into action, getting the boy out of the water and applying towels and pressure to slow the bleeding, he said.
Officers and emergency medical technicians were already at the beach responding to another call, so the response time was about two minutes, Younginer said.
A police officer applied a tourniquet and EMS stabilized the teen before he was taken to the nearest trauma center, Camp Lejune Naval Hospital, Younginer said.
Doctors were able to repair the boy’s leg and he’s expected to be released soon, according to Younginer.
The police chief praised the bystanders who took immediate action.
Also on Sunday, a well-known surfer and lifeguard was killed in a shark attack near the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, emergency officials said.
Tamayo Perry, 49, had been a lifeguard with Honolulu Ocean Safety since 2016. He was a local surf coach and competed for years in the Pipeline Master Trials, according to his official bio on his coaching site. Perry appeared in the 2002 movie “Blue Crush,” along with episodes of “Hawaii Five-O” and “The Bridge,” according to IMDb.
Click here for what to know about staying safe from sharks.
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