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Brian Waddill: Florida man arrested after being filmed hitting endangered lemon shark with hammer

Brian Waddill is facing two misdemeanor charges after authorities allege he attacked a lemon shark with a hammer

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA: A Florida man was captured on video striking a shark using a hammer and was ultimately arrested after allegedly ignoring a summons to court for the distressing incident, according to officials. Brian Waddill, 33, reportedly caught the lemon shark while fishing at Bicentennial Beach Park at Indian Harbor Beach on December 20, 2022.

Waddill pulled out a hammer and began hitting the animal which is a protected species before throwing it back into the water, according to a report from Fox 35 that cited the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's investigation into the incident.

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Who is Brian Waddill?

Surveillance footage of the violent incident allowed witnesses to positively identify Brian Waddill as the shark attacker. Witnesses told the Fish and Wildlife Conservation inspector that Waddill repeatedly punched the shark before turning it on its side and ripping out its gills.

What are the charges against Brian Waddill?

Waddill faces two misdemeanor charges - failure to return a prohibited species unharmed and a violation against the harvest, landing, or sale of sharks.

Although it is legal to catch sharks in Florida, there are restrictions on the types of sharks that can be caught and removed from the water. According to Fishing and Wildlife Conservation, there are 28 species of sharks that are protected in Florida. Lemon sharks are one of those species. According to the lawsuit, Waddill allegedly continued to strike the shark after noticing witnesses were present. After the shark appeared to have died, he apparently attempted to put it back into the ocean. One witness claimed that the shark's body was eventually washed inland by the waves, and nothing was found of the shark's body.

Waddill was summoned to appear in court; however, the summons was returned, after which a warrant was issued for his arrest. According to online reports, he was held on $500 bail but has already been released.

Who can fish in Florida?

A Florida hunting, freshwater, or saltwater fishing license is required for both Floridians and visitors to participate in fishing and hunting activities. The FWC requires anyone 16 years of age or older, including those 65 and older, to complete an online course and obtain a permit before fishing from shore.

'I hope he gets his dues soon'

The internet is outraged after the news surfaced. "He should be fined until it hurts--really hurts," tweeted a person. "Considering other cases, it seems unlikely to me that he will be confined, or even inconvenienced (I mean he's in Florida, the land of oz). We need a punishment that will make him think twice before hurting anything else." Another user said, "I hope he gets his dues soon." One user claimed, "Evil." A  user noted, "May Mr Waddell swim with the sharks after somehow colliding repeatedly with a hammer." "Wow, this 1 sounds like a right charmer with evident anger issues against those who can't fight back. This one could be dangerous to the vulnerable with those tendencies!!!!" remarked another.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.