Von Miller is currently being investigated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission after being accused by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) of killing a Hammerhead shark during a recent fishing trip.
Since news of this investigation broke, Miller has made national headlines and received plenty of criticism. On Tuesday, he said he was “shocked” by the reactions he’s received.
“I was shocked,” he said, via Brandon Krisztal of Orange and Blue Radio. “I went fishing. Everybody knows I hunt and fish, that’s what I do. But, I’m also all for conservation. We followed the rules.”
Miller has maintained throughout the past month that he followed the rules and that the shark he caught was released back into the ocean. The investigation is still ongoing at this time, an FWC spokesperson said Tuesday morning, per Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post.
If the FWC finds Miller did something illegal, then he could face second-degree misdemeanor charges for “harvesting a Group 3 shark in Florida waters,” per the state’s administrative code for anglers and fishermen (h/t Blair Miller of Denver7).