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'Dangerously close': Man's split-second decision saves boy from shark

A police officer has managed to save a child from a close encounter with a shark.

Cocoa Beach Police officer Adrian Kosicki, who’s based in Florida, was at the beach on Thursday evening while off-duty.

Officer Kosicki was walking along the pier with his wife when the pair noticed a boy on a boogie board with a shark trailing behind him.

Video uploaded by police shows people calling out to the boy.

A shark seen in waters off Cocoa Beach, Florida.
The shark swims in waters off Cocoa Beach. Source: Cocoa Beach Police & Fire

It’s not known if he hears them, but Officer Kosicki leaps into action and grabs the boy’s board pulling him back to the shore.

“Adrian made the decision to quickly enter the water and pull the boy from the surf as the shark began to get dangerously close, within only a couple of feet at its nearest distance,” police said.

“We’re certainly not marine biologists, educated and trained to differentiate between the various species of sharks, their respective feeding habits, and aggressiveness near swimmers.

“We just do what we do best—protect the public from harm.”

It hasn’t been clarified what species of shark was in the water with the boy.

But regardless, people on Facebook were impressed with the police officer’s actions.

One woman called it a little “too close for comfort”.

“Absolutely amazing! Good job. Thank you sir,” another woman wrote.

A boy on a boogie board is pulled to shore at Cocoa Beach.
The police officer pulls the boy away from the shark. Source: Cocoa Beach Police & Fire

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