‘Siesta Key’ star may be in new shark shooting video

A hammerhead shark, caught with a fishing rod, was lifted from the water. Another man points a gun at the shark and fires two shots. He laughs as blood pools in the water.

It’s yet another video that shows brutal treatment of a shark that has surfaced in the past few weeks with ties to Manatee and Sarasota counties.

In a joint statement from the Manatee County State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released Friday afternoon, officials noted investigators and State Attorneys are “diligently working toward a swift and lawful resolution to this case.”

“These investigations are complex, and both the FWC and the State Attorney’s Office appreciate the public’s understanding and patience. We take these incidents seriously, and this investigation is moving forward,” the release stated.

The shooter in the most recent video is wearing the same red “Make America Great Again” Trump campaign hat and long-sleeve gray shirt that Alex Kompothecras is wearing in photos posted on MTV’s Facebook page for Kompothecras. The shooter is posing with what appears to be a dead hammerhead shark.

Kompothecras, one of the stars of MTV’s “Siesta Key” reality show, told People magazine he had received death threats because of the videos.

Russ Rector, an animal activist who told the Miami Herald he was given the second video by the person who filmed it, believes the same crew is responsible for both the shooting video and the viral video of a shark being dragged behind a boat at high speeds.

“If you are going to kill a shark, you shoot it in the head,” Rector said. “He fired shots into the gill, causing the shark to bleed out and suffocate.”

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission rules, people cannot shoot sharks in Florida waters but can catch them with hook and line. However, sharks can be shot in federal waters farther from shore. It was not clear exactly where the incident in the video took place.

Robert Klepper, spokesman for the FWC, confirmed both videos are being investigated as well as several additional images and videos from the public.

The investigation is “active and ongoing,” Klepper said in a statement emailed to the Bradenton Herald.

“We take this incident seriously and share the public’s concern.”

The FWC has not identified those involved in the videos or what, if any, charges those involved could face.

The anglers behind the dragging video, however, were named by local news and online commenters, who condemned their behavior. Two of the four have been identified as Michael Wenzel and Robert Lee “Bo” Benac, whose mother, Betsy Benac, is chairwoman of the Manatee County Commission.

MTV, cast of ‘Siesta Key’ respond

Kompothecras, 22, told People Magazine he was “absolutely horrified” when he received the video of a shark being pulled behind a boat at high speeds. He’s since been linked to the people on the boat and told the magazine he has received death threats.

He went on to say that Wenzel has reached out to him, but he said he has not responded.

“We’re friends, but I’m so disappointed in him,” Kompothecras told People.

In the interview, he also owned up to other photos that have surfaced of him with deer and alligators, and another of him and a friend with a fish being force-fed beer. Kompothecras told People he’s “learned from that.”

Other cast members of “Siesta Key” told People they are also receiving death threats.

The outrage and threats prompted MTV to release a statement, more than a week after the dragging video went viral.

“We’ve spoken to Alex and many others at length, and it’s clear that he was not on the boat nor played any role in this incredibly disturbing incident,” an MTV spokesperson says in a statement to People. “We hope the serious threats unfairly being made against Alex and the other cast members – for something they had absolutely nothing to do with – stop.”

MTV has not yet responded to the Bradenton Herald’s request for comment regarding the latest incident.

Outrage from animal activists

A petition on Change.org calling for MTV to cancel “Siesta Key” had more than 2,800 signatures by 5 p.m. Friday.

Local anglers have previously told the Herald the shark-dragging video is bad for their profession, shedding a bad light on those who are trying to protect resources.

One animal advocate who saw the shark-dragging video called it “pure evil.”

A planned red-carpet premiere party for the reality show at CineBistro in Sarasota on July 31 was canceled at the last minute because of a protest was that orchestrated by the “Boycott ‘Siesta Key’ MTV” protest group created on Facebook and others.

In the statement from the State Attorney’s Office and FWC, officials thanked those who have provided information and expressed concern over the numerous videos and images that surfaced on social media.

Anyone with additional information, images or videos that can provide more evidence regarding any of these incidents, is urged to contact the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 orTip@MyFWC.com.

This story was originally published August 4, 2017 at 4:03 PM with the headline "‘Siesta Key’ star may be in new shark shooting video."