California surfer dies after shark attack

Santa Barbara - A male surfer was killed by a shark Tuesday at Surf Beach near Vandenberg Air Force base located North of Santa Barbara.

The Santa Barbara's Sheriff's office said the victim, 39-year old Francisco Javier Solorio, was surfing Tuesday morning when he was bitten by a shark, CNN reports. Sergeant Mark A. Williams said Solorio's friend pulled him from the water and administered first aid, The AP reports. Another friend called for help, but when the paramedics arrived, they pronounced Solorio dead on the scene. Investigators were able to figure out that Solorio was attacked and killed by a shark because his surfboard had bite marks, CNN reports. As of Tuesday afternoon, the type of shark had not been identified. The beach will also remain closed until further notice. According to the Shark Research Committee, a nonprofit group that documents shark attacks, fatal shark attack are actually rare on the United States' West Coast, The CS Monitor reports. According to the Shark Research Committee's records, surfers are the most common victims of fatal shark attacks and Great White Sharks are the most common attacking shark. Two years ago, a fatal shark attack happened at the same beach. On October 22, 2010, a shark killed a 19-year old college student who had been in the water boogie boarding with a friend, CNN reports. The shark was said to be 14 to 20 ft long, and bit off the leg of the victim, Lucas McKaine Ransom. Ransom was then pulled under water, and died of his wounds, The CS Monitor reports. Shark warning signs at Surf Beach are quite common and well-publicized, but there were no shark warning signs posted Tuesday, Lt. Erik Raney told The AP. Beaches don't usually post such signs if a shark hasn't been spotted recently.