Man suffers severe shark bite on South Padre Island during July Fourth celebrations

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (AP) — A man suffered a severe shark bite during Fourth of July celebrations on South Padre Island Thursday morning, a city official confirmed.

The incident was reported to police at 11 a.m., Nikki Soto, the South Padre Island city secretary, told The Associated Press.

The man was immediately treated at the beach by the fire and police department and was then taken to a hospital.

“Currently, the South Padre Island Beach Patrol, fire and police departments are patrolling the shoreline and utilizing drones,” Soto said.