KEY LARGO, Fla. — First responders who helped rescue a boy after a shark bite off the Florida Keys spoke exclusively to Local 10 News.
The incident happened on Monday afternoon.
6 p.m. report:
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, a father and his two children were snorkeling and spear fishing off Horseshoe Reef in Key Largo when the shark bite happened at approximately 3:30 in the afternoon.
An MCSO incident report identified the father as David Burrows, 48, of Pinecrest.
A nearby dive vessel operated by Horizon Divers helped guide the family back to Garden Cove Marina, where Key Largo firefighters awaited their arrival.
“We get there, we realize it’s an 8-year-old boy,” said Marcos Gonzalez, an engineer with the department.
“It appeared he had been bitten multiple times,” said Lt. Jaime Arana.
Firefighters and EMS crew members said the boy was alert and answering their questions. His sister was also helping with the rescue: applying pressure to his makeshift tourniquet.
“The sister of the patient was actually holding his leg,” said firefighter Travis Wilson. “Helping control the bleeding when we got onboard.”
Calls to 911 obtained by Local 10 on Tuesday afternoon capture the initial contact with first responders:
Dispatcher: 911, where is your emergency?
Caller: …Shark bite!
Dispatcher: Shark bite?—Are you guys able to bring the patient back in?
Caller: We’re on a boat.
“We immediately assessed the patient. We determined he met trauma alert criteria,” said training officer Jorge Orbeta.
Monroe County’s Trauma Star helicopter transported the boy to the Ryder Trauma Center.
As of Tuesday afternoon, he was said to be stable after undergoing surgery.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
