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Student attacked by shark at Surf Beach
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A student from University College Santa Barbara was attacked by a shark at Surf Beach here at approximately 8:50 a.m. Oct. 22.
Vandenberg Fire Department officials pronounced Lucas Ransom, 19, dead at the scene from wounds to his leg.
The victim was with a friend when the incident occurred.
"The victim was boogie-boarding when his friend saw him go underwater for a brief moment," said Sergeant Jason Grossini, from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. "When he came up, his friend knew there was something wrong."
Ransom was about 100-yards off of the shore of Surf Beach when he was attacked by an unidentified shark.
"The friend assisted him (Lucas) to the beach where the other witnesses attempted to assist the victim before fire personnel arrived on the scene," said Sergeant Grossini. "According to witnesses, the shark measured between 14 and 18 feet in length."
Federal and state wildlife service officials are assisting with efforts to identify the type of shark involved in the attack.
Minuteman, Surf and Wall beaches have been closed for a minimum of 72-hours.
Ransom, from Romoland in Riverside County, was a junior at UCSB majoring in chemical engineering.