A Florida spearfisherman was bitten by a bull shark on Aug. 2, just minutes after assuring his visiting family that sharks “won’t do anything to you” while diving in the Gulf, as reported by Fox News.

Chance Armand, 28, of Milton, has been spearfishing since 2020 and began free diving earlier this year. He told Fox News Digital that sharks are a normal sight in Florida waters and that his previous encounters had been uneventful.

“You run into them, you catch a glimpse of each other, and they might try and punk you for your fish, but they don't actually do anything about it,” Armand said.

That changed during a family outing when relatives visiting from Oklahoma expressed concern about sharks. Armand reassured them before diving to 65 feet to spear a yellow jack. As he ascended with the fish, a bull shark “came flying up from the bottom” toward him.

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Florida sharks, Armand explained, often associate boats and the sound of a speargun with food. The shark attempted to take the fish but bit Armand’s leg instead. He said the shark released him immediately after realizing it was not its intended target.

The shark swam away with the fish, leaving Armand with a wound but no life-threatening injuries. He resurfaced and informed the group, who helped him into the boat. Using a speargun band, a fillet knife, and a T-shirt, they fashioned a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

Photos Armand posted to Facebook show him smiling while holding the makeshift bandage. He said that once the bleeding was under control, the ride back to shore became an opportunity to talk with his family.

Emergency responders met him on land and transported him to a hospital, where doctors cleaned the wound and stitched it closed. Armand said no arteries, ligaments, or bones were damaged, allowing him to walk the next day.

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Armand’s social media post went viral as he sought help locating a lost speargun that fell overboard during the incident.

He said he hopes the attention will spark discussion about managing Florida’s shark population, noting that responsibly harvested shark meat can be good table fare.

He also emphasized that bull sharks are abundant in Florida waters and that proper management would not harm their population.

Despite the bite, Armand plans to return to diving when his stitches are removed, aiming to be back in the water for grouper season starting Sept. 1.

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