All beaches have reopened following the catching of the giant killer shark responsible for the two horrible deaths that have occurred this past week. The beaches will reopen just in time for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend.
Police Chief Martine Brody commented on the reopening of the beaches saying, “I urge all our residents to recreate at the beaches in order to encourage the participation of all our visitors in the wonderful water sports of which we all so happily partake throughout the summer. Swim and have fun!”
Matt Hooper, a marine biologist from Woods Hole, Mass., Oceanographic Institute says that the shark was 11 feet long and weighed 875 lbs. Hooper says that it was a Nurse shark, one of the most brutal and dangerous of all sharks.
The fisherman who caught the shark is Mike Swenson of Method, Mass. He caught the shark one mile south-southwest of Amity and will receive a $3,000 reward for his efforts.
Police Chief Brody said not to be alarmed by the presence of shark spotters from the Coast Guard, Marine Patrol, Massachusetts State Police, and other police agencies. “They are simply a safety precaution that we hope will put our visitors at ease.”
Law enforcement officials are urging vigilance by all citizens, but according to Brody, “We believe we can safely say that the danger of further shark attacks has probably passed.”
While many people returned to the beaches, beachgoers were still uneasy to go in the water. For a large portion of the day most people stayed out of the water. Eventually many did go into the water and all appeared at ease.
But, after the sight of what appeared to be a shark fin a small panic ensued. People fled from the water and law enforcement officials jumped to action.
It turned out to be an ill-mannered prank perpetrated by two twelve year old Amity residents, Wayne Winston and Brad Kaplan. No major injuries were sustained but many individuals appeared sufficiently shaken up. The boys have been remanded to the custody of their parents.
Any shark sightings should be reported to authorities at the hotline, 1-800-sharksee.
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