Alex

Another dead after attack on beach

Amity Island suffers another tragic loss, as a young boy has been killed in what appears to be a shark attack this afternoon.

Alex Kintner, 10, of Mayfair Court, was floating on a rubber raft when the attack occurred around 2 p.m. Shortly after, the destroyed raft floated ashore with what appeared to a large bite taken out of it. The boy’s body has not been recovered.

Police Chief Martin Brody released a statement saying that this incident may be related to the death of Chrissie Watson, 17, whose body washed ashore this morning after she disappeared into the water Sunday night.

Before the attack this afternoon, the beach was relatively calm, though packed with an excited crowd. Kintner was one of many children who had flocked to the water with toys and rafts.

Kintner was seen pulled under, followed by splashing water and a surge of blood. Chief Brody, who was visiting the beach with his family at the time, ran to the edge of the water, shouting for swimmers to get out.

Those who had been peacefully swimming created a stampede as they quickly exited the water. As the chaos settled, Kintner’s mother Marion remained at the edge of the beach, calling her son’s name. When her son’s mangled and bloody raft washed ashore, Kintner’s panic only worsened.

Marion Kintner is now being treated for shock at Amity General Hospital. No other injuries have been reported from this afternoon.

Chief Brody has urged citizens and the press not to jump to conclusions regarding the source of the attack. With Amity Mayor Larry Vaughn, Brody expressed his condolences to the Kintner family regarding the loss of their son.

A special meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall to discuss Chief Brody’s plan to close the beaches on July 4. Also to be discussed is the Kintner family’s reward for the perpetrators of the attack, and fisherman Quint’s offer to hunt down the shark he believes is responsible for this incident.

The police department remains skeptical as to the source of these attacks. In a press release, Brody said that these incidents “could maybe have possibly been linked to possible shark activities in the vicinity of Amity.” The investigation is ongoing.