Miami Beach shark attack sends 9-year-old boy to hospital

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A nine-year-old boy is resting in hospital after his shoulder was bitten by a shark near Miami Beach, according to a local report.

The Minnesota family was vacationing in Florida, and the boy had only been in the water for a few minutes before his mother realized something was wrong.

Kristine Weiskopf was standing in the water with her son, Jay, when it happened.

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"I was holding his hand the whole time and he was kind of body surfing a little bit and he had fallen on his stomach," Kristine told Local 10 News.

"He just said, 'Ow,' and I looked down and there was about a 4-foot gray shark just kinda swimming away, so I just scooped him up and ran him up the beach."

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Miami Beach Fire Rescue responded to the scene and transported Jay to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment.

The family claimed that the beach remained open even after the attack.

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"What I don't like right now is that the beach is still open, and kids are still down there playing, and they are in the same spot where my son just got attacked," the boy’s father, Ren, said. "I don't know if it’s just because of spring break of whatever, but the beach should be closed."

Fox News reached out to Miami Beach Fire Department, which manages Fire Rescue, for comment.  

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Florida sees the bulk of U.S. shark attacks, which is also the number one site for shark attacks in the world, according to a Florida Museum file.

Almost all attacks are non-fatal year to year.