Another Body Found: Shark Attack Suspected

SECOND DAY STORY

Amity, Mass. — A young boy died this morning on Village Beach in an apparent shark attack.

Following the death of Wendy W. Watson, 16, Alex Ferguson, 10, of Mayfair Court, was seen turned over in his water raft and dragged under water. A pool of blood flooded the vicinity moments later. A large fin was reportedly seen overturning the raft.

His body has not been recovered.

Ferguson appears to be the second victim in a string of growing shark attacks (though, it should be noted that Watson's official cause of death has not been made public). Amity Chief of Police Martin P. Brody sent out a press release at 11 a.m. and confirmed that “a big bite” was taken out of Ferguson’s raft.

Marian Ferguson, the distraught mother of the latest victim, was on the beach at the time of the attack and subsequently, taken to Amity Hospital for shock. She is reported to be in fair condition.

The atmosphere at the beach this morning was tense following the death of Watson. Few people were seen in the water, while Brody tersely watched on.

He was one of the first to notice the attack and immediately rushed to the shoreline, screaming, “Get out! Get them out!”

Meanwhile, a press conference was held after the attack. Brody announced beaches will be closed for 24 hours. Extra summer deputies, shark spotters and professionals from ocean institutes are expected to be brought in to stake out any sharks in the area.

Public reaction from fishermen and others who make their living off of vacationers expressed intense dissatisfaction with the decision. One woman yelled, “Twenty-four hours is like three weeks!”

Ben Quint, a grizzled old fisherman, offered to track and hunt the apparent man-eater shark responsible for the deaths at a cost of $10,000.

Quint said he would “catch the bird…head, tail – the whole damn thing.” Attendants seem unenthused by Quint’s suggestion, while Mayor Bob Farley said he would take his proposal “under advisement.”

Despite heavy evidence that there is a suspected shark infestation in Amity’s beaches, Brody cautioned “the press not to jump to any conclusions.”