Attack on Morris Cater

The Attack on Morris Cater was the third and most publicized shark fatality in Amity, occurring on June 20, just hours after the death of six-year-old Alexander Kintner. The attack, witnessed by at least fifteen people and police officer Len Hendricks, shattered any remaining hope that the great white shark had left the area and forced the reluctant closure of the beaches, marking a decisive turning point in the town's crisis.

Background and Setting

Morris Cater, a 65-year-old jewelry wholesaler with offices at 1224 Avenue of the Americas, was spending the weekend at the Abelard Arms Inn. The attack took place at approximately 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 20, a quarter of a mile down the beach from where young Alexander Kintner had been attacked earlier that day. The weather was clear and unusually calm, with a gentle southwest breeze and no whitecaps, conditions that had drawn many people to the water despite the earlier tragedy. The public beach was speckled with families, teenagers, and couples, none of whom had any warning that a second attack was imminent.

The Attack

Morris Cater was swimming just beyond the surf line when he was suddenly struck from behind. He called out for help, but all attempts to rescue him were in vain. Police officer Len Hendricks, who was on the beach at the time, witnessed the attack and described the shark as "big as a fuckin' station wagon." Hendricks waded into the water up to his waist and tried to reach Cater, but the fish kept hitting him again and again. "The fish kept coming back and hitting him again and again and again," Hendricks reported. When the fish finally quit, Hendricks waded out to where Cater was floating face down. He took hold of one of Cater's arms and pulled, but "it came off in my hand. The fish must have chewed right through it, all but a little bit of skin." Cater was pronounced dead on arrival at Southampton Hospital.

Immediate Aftermath and Witness Accounts

The attack was witnessed by at least fifteen people, including two reporters who were on the beach for the weekend: Bill Whitman of the New York Times and a reporter from Newsday. The presence of these journalists ensured that the story would receive immediate national attention, unlike the earlier attacks which had been suppressed. Hendricks, who had been taking his first swim in five years, was visibly shaken by the experience. He returned to the station house wearing nothing but a bathing suit, his body mottled gray-white, and reported the attack in short, exhausted bursts. The Amity Leader later reported that the giant fish struck again and again, savaging Cater as he cried for help, and that Hendricks made a valiant attempt to rescue the struggling victim, but the fish gave no quarter.

Consequences and Significance

The attack on Morris Cater, coming so soon after the death of Alexander Kintner, forced Chief Brody to close the beaches immediately. Brody ordered Hendricks to find notices to close the beaches, saying, "One way or another, let's get the goddam beaches closed." The New York Times ran the story on page one with the headline "SHARK KILLS TWO ON LONG ISLAND," and the Amity Leader followed with a banner headline: "TWO KILLED BY MONSTER SHARK OFF AMITY BEACH." The attack also exposed the earlier suppression of the Christine Watkins death, as the Leader reported that the number of victims had risen to three. The incident deepened Brody's guilt and self-loathing, as he realized that the two deaths on June 20 could have been prevented if he had closed the beaches after the first attack. The attack also intensified the economic pressure on Amity, as real estate agents like Larry Vaughan faced cancellations and the town's summer season teetered on the brink of disaster.