Shark
A shark, pictured October 19, 2009, was shot repeatedly in a video by a man while it was connected to a fishing rod. Getty Images

A Florida man was caught on video shooting a shark with a fishing rod, according to ABC affiliate WPLG. The man could be seen firing multiple shots into the gills of a hammerhead shark as it was connected to a fishing rod. A group of men on the boat could be heard laughing in the background as the shooter continued to fire shots at the shark.

The video went viral after social media users shared it across multiple platforms. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) was alerted to the video by a web tip July 24, at which time they announced the organization's plans to launch an investigation.

Rob Klepper, a spokesperson for the FWC, issued a statement Friday to International Business Times about the incident. He said the FWC's investigation is still in progress.

"Our investigation is active and ongoing," Klepper told IBT. "Since there can be many complexities with an investigation like this, we appreciate the public’s patience as officers work to determine the details of the incident. We take this incident seriously, and share the public’s concern."

Klepper added, "The FWC has received numerous additional images and videos from the public, including the one you reference below, and investigators are looking into this information as well. The use of powerheads, explosives, chemicals or the discharge of firearms to kill or harvest marine life is prohibited in state waters."

WATCH: Shark Attacks GoPro Camera Capturing Underwater Life

The FWC has identified the men involved, but the organization had no plans to publicly confirm the participant's identities at this time.

According to the Miami Herald, animal activist Russ Rector was sent the video by an individual who filmed the act. Rector believed the same group of men are also responsible for the leaked video of the shark that was dragged by a speed boat, an incident that also occurred in Florida waters.

"My first reaction was how ridiculous it was and how cruel it was, quite frankly. This was all done so they can videotape it and show it to their friends," Rector told the Miami Herald Thursday. "If you are going to kill a shark, you shoot it in the head. He fired shots into the gill, causing the shark to bleed out and suffocate."

Animal abuse is punishable by law in Florida. According to Florida law, intentional cruelty towards animals was considered a misdemeanor in the first degree. Violators could also be hit with a fine up to $5,000, however, individuals who made "repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering" could face up to $10,000 in fines. The FWC claimed it's too early to say for certain which violations were committed during the incident.

This video comes on the heels of another shark abuse video that hit the web late July. The video, which also took place in Florida, showed a group of men dragging a shark with a speed boat. The shark was tied to the boat with a rope as it flopped violently in the water. FWC also planned to launch an investigation into the identities of the video's participants.

SEE ALSO: Fishermen Catch Largest Blue Shark Ever Captured In British Waters

Florida Governor Rick Scott addressed a letter to FWC after the shark dragging video went viral, according to Associated Press. Since shark videos continued to emerge, Scott wanted to ensure that Florida's fish regulations prohibited "such inhumane acts" from occurring.

According to Florida news publication Sun Sentinel, a third shark abuse incident occurred earlier this year. A January video surfaced on a Facebook fishing page, which reportedly showed a hammerhead shark being drowned in beer. The video was captioned, "who needs a beer bong?"

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