Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

Shark Attack Kills Boy in Virginia Beach

Aired September 02, 2001 - 17:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: A 10-year-old boy is dead in the first fatal shark attack in the United States this year, and the first reported in the Virginia Beach area in about 30 years. Officials say David Peltier and his dad were swimming in about four feet of water 50 yards from shore last night when the shark attacked, severing the main artery in David's left thigh.

For the latest on the attack, let's turn now to CNN's Patty Davis, who is in Virginia Beach.

Patty, hello.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Stephen.

Well, the latest here is that the beaches are open. Virginia Beach officials say that they're keeping them open because this is a very rare occurrence. In fact, the mayor told me she considers this a quirk of nature.

Now, they sent up a police helicopter earlier today; planning on doing so again today -- later today and again tomorrow, looking for evidence of sharks in the waters. They've found none. Also, about 40 personnel diving into the water looking as well. They have been briefing lifeguards to make sure that the lifeguards know exactly what to look for. Perhaps, some occurrences in the water there, some fins. They haven't seen anything today, so the beaches here are open.

10-year-old David Peltier, as you said, was attacked by what was believed to have been about an eight-foot sand bar shark last night around 6:00. He was, as you said, surfing with his father, also his brothers, from shore just behind me here on Sandbridge Beach, which is the beach located in Virginia Beach. His father tried to pry the shark's jaws open; was unsuccessful in doing that. Hit the shark, finally, on the head; got the shark to let his son loose and dragged him to the shore where they were met by lifeguards and rescue personnel. Now, that boy was then taken to the hospital at that point and he died overnight from his wounds.

Here is what the mayor had to say today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MEYERA OBENDORF, VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: I speak for the entire city of Virginia Beach when I say how terribly saddened I am by this horrible accident. We're all praying for young David, as well as his family.

Shark attacks are an exceptionally rare occurrence in Virginia Beach. City emergency medical service officials said they are not aware of any swimmer ever being attacked by a shark in Virginia Beach.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIS: Now, beach-goers, as you can see, still here today. However, they tell me that since they've been here a few days -- various people -- that there aren't as many as usual and, in fact, aren't as many people in the water as usual. According to the beach- goers here, they are being a bit more cautious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd just as soon keep my kids out of the water and not take my chances. I don't want to test fate in any way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Normally we would go out and do some body surfing. Today we just went in wading.

DAVIS: A little nervous?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it gives you pause. It's pretty serious.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Usually I go boogie out boarding pretty deep, up to maybe here. And I was just afraid today because, I mean, he didn't go out very far and he got bit. So I was nervous; and not many kids were out there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIS: Now, no one in the water right now behind me -- at least very far in the water. But there was -- I saw earlier one brave soul kayaking out pretty far, perhaps not 150 feet out where David and his father and his brothers were yesterday, but there are a few people still braving it here -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Well, that answer has to question, Patty, you mentioned nobody in the water right now. Did you, in the course of the time you spent there, see anybody actually swimming all day long?

DAVIS: Yes, absolutely. They're out there about waist-high is what I saw, and maybe a little bit further than that, swimming a little bit.

But the people who come to this part of the beach very often, at least vacation here -- these are mainly tourists who I talked to today, say from their experience there are a lot fewer people, though, that are taking that chance today -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Patty Davis in Virginia Beach; Patty, thank you very much.

For more now on what was done to try and save David Peltier's life and why the shark was so close to shore and what may have caused it to attack this child, we are joined now from Virginia Beach by Bruce Edwards, who is director of emergency medical services there.

Mr. Edwards, thank you for joining us.

Very dramatic stories from witnesses as to what Mr. Peltier did. Can you fill us in on how he brought his season ashore?

BRUCE EDWARDS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES: Well, apparently he was able to hit the shark a number of times, and then the shark released the boy, and he was able to get him up on his surfboard and bring him ashore.

FRAZIER: What do you make of this attack which, as the mayor pointed out, is so rare there? What might have brought the shark in so close to shore?

EDWARDS: We have no idea, Stephen. This is such an anomaly. I've lived here all my life and I have never heard or seen anything like this before.

FRAZIER: You know earlier...

EDWARDS: We're not exactly sure.

FRAZIER: They were talking in Florida -- in New Smyrna Beach they were talking about sharks coming in after bait fish. Is there a run of fish that comes close to shore at dusk?

EDWARDS: Well, I'm told by the curator of the Virginia Marine Sciences Museum when they did a fly over this morning that they did see some fish in schools, which is a normal occurrence, this time of year, particularly.

FRAZIER: It was such a devastating injury. What did your people do when they first confronted David's injuries?

EDWARDS: When our EMS units arrived, they found the boy in the care of the lifeguards, who are the guards guarding the part of the beach just south of this particular location. They were applying first aid measures for controlling the bleeding. The boy was then immediately placed in the back of the ambulance and rushed to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, our trauma level two hospital here, providing advanced life support to him en route to that facility.

FRAZIER: And I guess your major concern was the amount of blood he was losing?

EDWARDS: That's correct.

FRAZIER: And what can you do other than just add more blood?

EDWARDS: Well, there are certain things that can be done. The most important thing is to control bleeding. We can replace fluids, but there is nothing more important than rapid transport in those particular situations, and that's what we did. FRAZIER: Well, we're glad to hear your story of how that went. We're sorry that this one got away from you. Mr. Edwards, thanks very much for filling us in on the actions of your team.

EDWARDS: Thank you Stephen; thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com