A Florida man, 33, was arrested for hitting a protected shark species with a hammer in an attack caught on camera
- A Florida man has been arrested, accused of hitting a shark with a hammer and throwing it into the ocean for not responding to a court summons
- Brian Waddell is being held on $500 bail and facing two misdemeanor counts of failing to return a banned species unharmed.
- Waddell, 33, was allegedly attacked by a lemon shark while fishing at Bicentennial Beach Park in Indian Harbor Beach; The attack was captured on a security video
A Florida man has been arrested for failing to respond to a court subpoena after he was caught on surveillance video attacking a lemon shark with a hammer, authorities say.
After reeling at the shark at Bicentennial Beach Park in Indian Harbor Beach, 33-year-old Brian Waddell continued to hit the fish repeatedly with a hammer before throwing it back into the water in December 2022.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, witnesses identified Waddell as the attacker with the entire incident recorded on camera.
The man can be seen pulling the shark out of the water with a hammer.
In what seems like a particularly painful motion, the tool appears to be wedged inside the shark’s gills which it then uses as leverage to pull fish across the shoreline.
Florida man accused of hitting a shark with a hammer
Brian Waddell allegedly hit the fish repeatedly with a hammer before throwing it back into the water in December 2022
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, witnesses identified Waddell as the attacker with the entire incident recorded on camera.
At another point, the man can be seen using what appears to be a knife on the animal, slashing it through the shark’s skin, while other beach-goers watch him the entire time.
He then pulls the fish by its tail out into the open water before it is tossed into the waves.
Shark appears to be in bad shape at this point.
Witnesses told the FWC investigator that Waddill struck the shark several times with a hammer, then turned it on its side and used the back of the hammer to tear off the shark’s gills.
Witnesses identified Waddell as the alleged attacker with the entire incident recorded on camera
The man can be seen pulling the shark by its tail into the water
He then pulls the fish by its tail back into the water before it is tossed into the waves. Shark appears to be in bad shape at this point
An eyewitness said he then kept hitting the shark until he realized people were watching him Fox 35.
The suspect faces two misdemeanor charges: failing to return a banned species unharmed and violating rules regarding harvesting, landing or selling sharks.
The lemon shark is one of 28 protected shark species in Florida, and there are rules and regulations in place depending on where you’re fishing.
Waddell was arrested by Indian Harbor police on Friday as a result of failing to respond to a court summons and is currently being held on $500 bail.
Online records show Waddill has a sport fishing license in the Sunshine State.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission says it takes incidents of animal cruelty very seriously, particularly when rules that were put in place to protect endangered and endangered species are violated.
The lemon shark is one of 28 protected shark species in Florida, and there are rules and regulations in place depending on where you’re fishing.
