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Two central Alabama girls injured in Friday shark attack in Walton ...

Two central Alabama girls injured in Friday shark attack in Walton
WBRC has learned that two of the three victims in the attack are from the Birmingham area.

WALTON COUNTY, Florida. (WBRC) - After two shark attacks were reported in Walton County, Florida Friday, WBRC has learned that two of the three victims in the attack are from the Birmingham area.

According to a post from St. Luke’s Birmingham, Lulu Gribbin and McCray Faust were critically injured in the attack. According to the church, they are holding a community wide prayer service for the two girls Sunday, June 9 at 4 p.m. in the pavilion.

Around 1:20 p.m., officials say a 45-year-old woman was reportedly swimming just past the first sandbar in Watersound Beach where she received significant trauma to her midsection and pelvic area as well as amputation to her left lower arm. The woman was treated immediately on the beach before she was transported by air to the HCA Fort Walton Beach Medical Center in critical condition.

According to the South Walton Fire District, the second attack, believed to be Gribbin and McCray, occurred at 2:56 p.m. in the area of Seacrest Beach, about four miles away from the location of the first attack. Authorities say the girls were just inside the first sandbar in about waist deep water.

“Victim one received significant injuries to one upper and one lower extremity, both requiring the application of tourniquets. This victim was transported in critical condition via Okaloosa Med Flight to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola. Victim number two received what’s been described as flesh wounds to the right lower extremity, or her right foot, that victim was transported by fire district personnel to Ascension Bay Medical Center where she is reportedly in stable condition.”

On Saturday, the Panama City Beach Police Department and Bay County Sheriff’s Office conducted an aerial search where they identified a notable presence of sharks, specifically bull sharks, near the first sandbar.

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