50-year-old woman bitten by shark off Vero Beach, Florida
VERO BEACH, Fla. - Officials say a woman has been hospitalized after she was bitten by a shark off Vero Beach.
Multiple news agencies report the incident took place Sunday afternoon. Rescue officials responded to the scene around noon for reports of a shark bite.
Vero Beach Police identified Mary Marcus, 57, as the shark bite victim, reports CBS affiliate WPEC in West Palm.
The woman told officials that a shark had bitten her in the leg and then released her. The woman was swimming about 100 yards off the beach when she was bitten, and was able to make it ashore on her own.
Officer Anna Carden told WPEC it appeared to be an exploratory bite, which means it was caused by the shark mistaking the victim for the shape of prey.
She was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.