A vacationer from the US state of Georgia was allegedly bitten by a shark on Saturday evening, July 25, 2026, in front of Daytona Beach Shores. Jacorey High was in waist- to chest-deep water near the Dunlawton Beach Approach with his pregnant fiancée when an animal grabbed his left foot and ankle.
High described FOX 5 Atlanta, that he first pushed his fiancée towards the beach. The animal then started toward his arm. He pushed it away and ran to the bank; It snapped at its other leg again.
Treatment on the beach and surgery in the hospital
Loud FOX 35 Orlando, which cites Volusia County Beach Safety, the emergency call came in around 5:30 p.m. Emergency responders treated High on the beach and took him to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries to his left foot and ankle.
He was operated on there. His family later reported extensive damage to ligaments and tendons as well as extensive blood loss. High expects a recovery period of at least three months and hopes to return to work afterward.
Video: Jacorey High reports on the shark bite
In the following interview by FOX 5 Atlanta, High describes the moment of the bite, the escape from the water and his treatment. The video does not contain any footage of the actual incident.
Different age information
The available reports give different ages. Volusia County Beach Safety described the injured man as 21 years old, while FOX 5 Atlanta presented him as 22 years old. The official information of 21 years is used here for the attack dates.
Shark species not confirmed
It is not known which species was involved. High described the animal as gray on top and about four feet, or about 1.2 meters, long. However, a description after a quick, injury-related contact is not sufficient for a reliable species identification.
The authorities initially worded things cautiously and spoke of a suspected shark bite. High himself stated that he had seen the animal fighting back. An assignment to a blacktip shark, spinner shark, bull shark or another species occurring off Florida would be speculative without further evidence.
Why bites often hit feet and ankles
The incident occurred in shallow surf water. There, poor visibility, blown-up sand and small prey fish can cause sharks and swimmers to come unexpectedly close to each other. Feet and lower legs are particularly exposed, but it cannot be concluded that they are specifically hunting people.
Anyone in Florida Atlantic coast Swimmers should heed warnings from beach supervisors, avoid large schools of fish and active fishing spots and be particularly careful when the water is cloudy. Despite the many people in the water, shark bites remain rare.
Non-fatal, unprovoked incident
According to the currently known procedure, High was bathing and did not touch or feed the shark before it was bitten. The case is therefore listed as an unprovoked, non-fatal incident. The animal’s defense only occurred after the first bite.
High has now been able to leave the hospital, but has to continue to have his injured foot treated and is not allowed to put any weight on it for the time being. It is still unclear whether there will be permanent restrictions.