By Daily Press staff
Lifeguards say it’s business as usual despite a leopard shark spotting off of Will Rogers State Beach Tuesday.
The shark was at least 100 feet from shore and no one was injured.
While shark sightings are rare in Southern California, it should-n’t surprise anyone if they see one.
“There are sharks in the water,” said Los Angeles County Lifeguard Capt. Garth Canning. “You have more of a chance getting injured driving or walking to the beach.”
The sighting got widespread attention, however, because LA television news reporters honed in on the event.
News choppers descended on the beach Tuesday afternoon after a routine call was made by a police helicopter to LA County lifeguards. Police spotted movement in the water and asked lifeguards to check it out.
News organizations heard the call on police scanners and headed out for the scoop, alerting people to what has been described as an insigificant event.
“We are not doing anything different other than answering a lot of phone calls,” said Canning, who added that more people die in California from bee stings than they do from shark attacks.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 3, 2003. Read the original PDF.