Activists Say MTV Reality Star Shot Shark In The Gills
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) --A hammerhead shark was pulled out of the water and shot twice in the gills in a video posted on social media.
The man firing the gun, animal activists say, is Alex Kompothecras – the star of MTV's new reality show, "Siesta Key."
Kompothecras allegedly deleted a photo from his Instagram account in which he was posing with a dead hammerhead and wearing clothes similar to the man in the shooting video.
"It's just wanton killing," said animal activist Russ Rector.
Rector says he got the video from someone who filed a complaint with state investigators.
He claims many of the same men were responsible for dragging a blacktip shark from their boat, while laughing. He insists they also poured beer into the gills of a hammerhead and that more unsettling videos are coming.
"There's so much alcohol involved," said Rector. "You're gonna see….the other people and Alex, shooting at other fish on the line," said Rector.
According to People Magazine, who interviewed Kompothecras before the video was made public, Kompothecras deleted a video from his Instagram account showing a shark being shot.
"There are images of me and I feel horrible," he said. "I am embarrassed and it won't happen again."
He denied taking part in dragging the other shark.
In Florida, where it's illegal to kill marine life with guns or explosives, hammerheads are protected. In federal waters further out, shooting them is allowed. It's unclear where the shark was shot.
"I know a lot of people fear sharks, but really sharks have a lot more to fear from people and I think this whole situation is just an example of that," said University of Miami Shark Research & Conservation Program Director Neil Hammerschlag.
Hammerschlag says some hammerhead species are threatened with extinction.
"It is clearly just a situation of people mistreating wildlife. I don't think there's any place for that in society," said Hammerschlag.
CBS News reached out to Kompothecras but he did not respond. MTV, which declined to comment on the shark shooting video, says Siesta Key cast members have received threats.
A lawyer representing some of the men in the dragging video say the shark was already dead when it was towed in a botched attempt to gut and clean the fish.
