A U.S. Coast Guardsman aboard the USCG Cutter Kimball opened fire on a Mako shark that got too close to crewmembers swimming in the water.

About 40 crewmembers were swimming in the Pacific Ocean earlier this week when the predator was spotted, prompting ME1 Samuel Cintron, who was on “shark duty,” to begin shooting.

A Facebook post by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball stated, “Our animal-lover Chief who wants to save every animal she finds yelled ‘Shoot it!’ ME1 Cintron fired a well-aimed burst right at/on top of the shark to protect shipmates just feet away. It turned away for a few seconds then turned back.”

“ME1 fired bursts as needed to keep the shark from his shipmates with amazing accuracy. The shark would wave off with each burst but kept coming back toward our shipmates,” the post explained.

Cintron discussed the incident during Thursday’s “Good Morning America” broadcast.

“I wasn’t willing to risk the lives of my shipmates. I made the call,” he said.

The shark didn’t appear to have been injured and swam away with another group of sharks.

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