Zane Garrett, 26, of Florida, was arrested on Thursday after a video from Snapchat depicted him stabbing a shark over and over, igniting outrage and an investigation. Garrett now faces a charge of aggravated animal cruelty, according to the New York Post.
The video, taken on May 22 near a wreck site just off Key West, was titled ‘Bud broke my rod’ and depicts Garrett brutally stabbing a bull shark in the head repeatedly. The video soon went viral online and was reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) by an unidentified whistleblower.
The tipster, who was worried for public safety, informed officials: “Yes, to weapons for the 9-11 inch filet knife, yes to violent behavior for stabbing a shark over and over, yes to being worried about them being stupid enough to post themselves committing a crime.”
Garrett Identified and Questioned
Garrett, who appeared as a captain on Second Nature Charters’ website, was singled out by the video’s first poster. When asked, he acknowledged it was him, saying, “Yah, that’s me.”
Though Garrett had first attributed the act to deterrence against sharks stealing catches, he later admitted that his actions were driven by ‘revenge’, admitting the shark was a pest after stealing his fish.
His arrest warrant cited him as having said: “I asked Mr. Garrett if he believed that the constant pounding would kill the shark eventually, to which he replied, ‘No. It takes a lot more than stabbing a shark in the head.'”
History of Shark Violence
Garrett also confessed to having previously killed sharks with guns and knives, usually without taking them on board. Officials found that he was not properly licensed to work as a boat captain and had previously been investigated for presenting himself falsely.
The FWC classified the act as ‘egregious’, reporting it caused unnecessary suffering to the animal.
Garrett is currently incarcerated at Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Key West facility, with a $10,000 bail. He is to be arraigned on June 26.
