Shark Attack Kills California Surfer
Surfer, 40, was pulled to shore by a fellow surfer.
LOS ANGELES Oct. 23, 2012— -- A California surfer was mauled and killed by a shark off the Santa Barbara coast today, officials said.
The victim was identified as 39-year-old San Francisco resident Javier Solario.
"The coroner's office has recovered body and will do investigation of where victim was bit, any injuries that were inflicted from that bite," Lt. Erik Raney with the Santa Barbara County sheriff's office said.
The shark moved in for the kill shortly before 11 a.m. PT as Solario was surfing near Surf Beach in Lompoc, Calif., according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. That is near Vandenberg Air Force Base.
A fellow surfer pulled Solario from the water, called 911 and started first aid procedures until the Vandenberg Air Force Base Fire Department arrived, police said.
"He pulled him out of the water and immediately began CPR," Raney said.
Air base spokeswoman Lt. Mary Vasta did not state the cause of death, saying only, "[Paramedics] started CPR and then ceased CPR, and we are not sure why they did that."
But Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Marc Williams confirmed he had been bitten by a shark and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Williams said a shark expert would try to determine what kind of shark was involved on Wednesday.
"He was a really good surfer. I spent a lot of time with him," friend Nathan Winkles said.
Solario was not affiliated with the air force base.
This incident marks the second fatal shark attack on this beach within the within the past two years. In October 2010, 19-year-old Lucas Ransom was killed when a great white shark appeared out of nowhere and pulled him under.
