Man Arrested After Shark Stabbing Video Goes Viral
A Florida man has been arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty after a viral video showed him repeatedly stabbing a shark in the head — an act he later described as “revenge.”
Zane Garrett, 26, was identified as the man in the disturbing footage shared on Snapchat.
The video, filmed near a wreck site off the coast of Key West on May 22, captured Garrett attacking a bull shark while shouting, “Bro broke my rod,” referencing a broken fishing rod he blamed on the animal.
The clip, titled “Bud broke my rod,” quickly spread across social media, sparking outrage and triggering an investigation by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers.
Garrett, listed as a captain on the website for Second Nature Charters, was turned in by an anonymous tipster who reported the incident out of concern for public safety.
The tipster told officials, “Yes to weapons for the 9-11 inch filet knife, yes to violent behavior for stabbing a shark repeatedly, yes to being concerned over them being dumb enough to post themselves committing a crime.”
According to the arrest report, Garrett admitted to being the person in the video and confessed to stabbing the shark in anger after it had stolen his catch.
He claimed the act was meant to deter sharks from interfering with fishing efforts — a practice he described as “common” among anglers.
However, when asked if he believed the stabbing would kill the shark, Garrett replied, “No. It takes a lot more to kill a shark than stabbing it in the head.”
The investigation also revealed that Garrett was previously under scrutiny for allegedly posing as a licensed boat captain without proper credentials — a violation of state maritime regulations.
Garrett further told investigators that he had harmed sharks in the past, including shooting and stabbing them without ever hauling them onto his vessel.
Authorities condemned the attack as “egregious,” calling it a senseless act of cruelty that caused unnecessary suffering to the animal.
He is currently being held at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office jail in Key West on a $10,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for June 26.
Man Arrested After Shark Stabbing Video Goes Viral