Local

Bull shark found in Brevard County pond released in Indian River

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A 3 1/2-foot-long bull shark that had been drawing crowds for days at an Indian Harbour Beach pond is finally free.

Officials said they believe someone dumped the shark in Gleason Park but they have no idea why someone would do such a thing.

On Tuesday, Channel 9 was there as trapper James Dean spotted the shark and cast his net to catch it, but the shark was too fast and got away.

"I didn't realize that thing was as quick as it was," said Dean. "It got away from me at that point."

On Thursday, volunteer Steven Henson was able to get the drop on the shark and somehow managed to capture it.

"I was glancing over the water and I just saw him for a quick second," said Henson. "I turned even more and I saw him through the net."

Henson was one of the volunteers who came to help a pair of wildlife experts who were trying to corral the bull shark into an area of the lake where it could finally be trapped.

"There's zero visibility in here," said trapper Leo Cross. "You can't really get a boat in here. We had to get in there and do footwork in the water."

Trappers said the shark had a hook in its mouth when they found it, so they used a pair of pliers to remove it before Dean relocated the shark to the Indian River.

"She'll make it out there," said Dean. "They're a resilient shark, and hopefully she'll have a better life than she did in here."

The city told Channel 9 there's really no way the shark would have been able to swim to the lake, which is why they believe someone dumped it there. The hook might have been a clue that someone caught it and then dropped it off in the pond, officials said.