Officials: Person stabbed, destroyed temporary seawall protecting Florida oceanfront homes

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. - State officials believe someone stabbed one of the inflatable Tiger Dams protecting the shoreline in Daytona Beach Shores.

Workers have been there around the clock trying to fix anywhere from 300 to 600 feet of the dam, with water still splashing over the top of it.

Officials with the Florida Division of Emergency Management think someone took a knife to it, cutting a strap and puncturing the dam itself sometime in the early morning hours on Thursday.

"I have no idea why people would do something like this," said emergency management director Kevin Guthrie. "It just makes no sense to me."

People are still trying to make sense of why someone would destroy the dam protecting homes that were left sitting on the edge by the last hurricane.

Several homes and a condo building are now exposed souring a king tide, with the potential to erode more sand.

Workers have to trudge through the cold water and waves to get the dam refilled.

The giant orange tube gets pumped full of water and stretches about 2,000 feet.

Most of it is still intact.

Guthrie went out to see the damage for himself Thursday morning.

He says law enforcement is now trying to figure out who did this.

The damage could cost $1.5 million, but it's still unknown how much damage flooding could do to the homes behind the dam.

"You’re looking at 10 to 12 that are now completely exposed to the elements when there’s a king tide coming in," Guthrie said. "Ultimately what’s at stake is $1.5 million in taxpayer dollars that were destroyed as a result of vandalism."

Guthrie says law enforcement is asking homeowners in the area if they have any security footage that shows whoever damaged the dam.