Date of attack: | March 12th 2023 |
---|---|
Location: | Pepper Park Beach, St. Lucie County, Florida |
Shark species: | Spinner shark |
Name of victim: | Matthew Picarelli |
Age of victim: | 36 years old |
Sex of victim: | M |
Activity: | Surfing |
Injury: | The bite severed a tendon and chipped a bone in the right foot |
Body Surfer Bitten by Shark at Pepper Park Beach, Florida
On March 12, 2023, 36-year-old Matthew Picarelli was bitten by a shark while body surfing at Pepper Park Beach in St. Lucie County, Florida. The incident occurred around 11:00 a.m., 40 to 50 feet from shore.
Picarelli saw the shark’s fin and tail just before feeling a sharp pain in his right foot. The shark clamped down briefly before swimming away. He alerted his friend and exited the water. Emergency responders arrived at 11:50 a.m. and helped transport him to the hospital, where he received 50 stitches to repair a severed tendon and a chipped bone.
A witness on the beach believed the shark was a four- to five-foot spinner shark.
Map showing shark attack location and nearby incidents
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![](https://sharkattacks.planetdeadly.com/js/leaflet/images/marker-shadow.png)
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![Pepper Park Beach, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Fort Pierce Inlet State Park,St Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Fort Pierce Inlet, St Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![North Jetty Park, Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Fort Pierce Inlet](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![North Jetty, Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![North Jetty, Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Fort Pierce Inlet, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![North Beach Inlet, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Avalon State Park Beach, North Hutchinson Island, St Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Off Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Pepper Park Beach, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Round Island Park, Indian River County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Round Island Park, Indian River County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Vero Beach, St. Lucie County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![South Beach Park, Indian River County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Vero Beach, Indian River County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Vero Beach, Indian River County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Hutchinson Island](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Vero Beach, Indian River County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Vero Beach, Indian River County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
![Vero Beach, Indian River County](https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/images/markers/small_circle.png)
Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap
Nearby shark attacks
- Pepper Park Beach, St. Lucie County, Florida | 08-Sep-2007
- Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, St. Lucie County, Florida | 08-Nov-2014
- Fort Pierce Inlet State Park,St Lucie County, Florida | 20-Oct-2000
- Fort Pierce Inlet, St Lucie County, Florida | 15-Sep-2000
- North Jetty Park, Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Florida | 06-Nov-1992
- Fort Pierce Inlet, Florida | 05-Sep-1985
- North Jetty, Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, St. Lucie County, Florida | 21-Oct-1997
- North Jetty, Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, St. Lucie County, Florida | 24-Oct-1997
- Fort Pierce Inlet, St. Lucie County, Florida | 05-Sep-1999
- Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Florida | 11-Oct-1988
- North Beach Inlet, St. Lucie County, Florida | 31-Aug-1995
- Avalon State Park Beach, North Hutchinson Island, St Lucie County, Florida | 27-Dec-2016
- Off Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Florida | Fall 2008
- Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Florida | 11-May-23
- Pepper Park Beach, St. Lucie County, Florida | 05-Oct-2015
- Round Island Park, Indian River County, Florida | 04-Nov-2007
- Round Island Park, Indian River County, Florida | 04-Jan-2006
- Vero Beach, St. Lucie County, Florida | 11-Mar-2016
- South Beach Park, Indian River County, Florida | 11-Nov-1998
- Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida | 26-May-1995
- Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida | 12-Aug-1991
- Hutchinson Island, Florida | Sep-2008
- Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida | 11-Aug-2002
- Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida | 10-Sep-2000
- Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida | 09-May-2012