Kentucky Teen Recovering From Shark Bite

News Release

Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office

03. April 2017

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A 17-year old tourist from Louisville Kentucky suffered six puncture wounds from a shark bite, but was able to punch the shark as it was biting her to try to drive it away.

Caitlyn Taylor suffered a bite wound to her leg yesterday while swimming the in the Gulf of Mexico behind a condominium at 1040 East Highway 98 in Destin.

Witnesses say a five foot shark bit the girl while she was in waist deep water around 3:39 p.m.

Caitlyn says she initially thought it was a dolphin in the water. It was in a wave headed towards her. She says it took her by the legs, tugged on her, and immediately turned her lose.

Caitlyn’s friends estimated the shark to be about five feet long. The type of shark is undetermined.

Emergency personnel said Caitlyn had scrape wounds on her left leg and puncture wounds on her right leg near her knee. She required eighty stitches to that leg.

She was treated at the Destin Emergency Room.

Family members say they were in town for Caitlyn to play in a softball tournament.

Source: Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office

 

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