In the 15-year period of 2005 through 2019, canines killed 523 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (346) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76% of the total recorded deaths. | More »
Statistical information gathered by DogsBite.org is verifiable through news reports and other criteria.1 Our Fatality Citations section documents sources used in our dog bite fatality research.
| 2016 fatal dog attacks by breed |
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In 2016, 9 dog bite fatalities involved canines from 2 or more different breeds, thus producing a death count total of 43 rather than 31. Four dog breeds each contributed to 1 death, including: Australian cattle dog, chihuahua-mix, shar pei-mix and 1 unreleased breed. The unreleased breed involved a family dog that killed a newborn in Texas.
The below items were issued when annual statistics were originally published on February 21, 2017. New fatalities and updates to our 2016 Fatality Statistics may have been added since.
Tyler Trammell-Huston, 9-years old, was killed by his sister's three pit bulls. Yuba County sheriff’s deputies responded to the 6200 block of Dunning Avenue around 9:57 am. Deputies learned the boy's half-sister, Alexandria Griffin-Heady, 24, left him alone with her three pit bulls in a travel trailer while she went to work. When she returned, she found his badly mangled body. Tyler died at Rideout Memorial Hospital soon after his arrival. Tyler was in protective custody, living at a foster home under the care of Sacramento County Child Protection Services. In October, CPS began granting unsupervised overnight visits with his sister and her pit bulls, who lived in a dilapidated trailer with no bathroom next to a home where two of Tyler's siblings lived. Griffin-Heady had raised the pit bulls, a mother and two offspring, since they were puppies. She flaunted her pit bulls on social media. In a tearful press conference after Tyler's death, Griffin-Heady called her pit bulls "my babies" and "What made them do that I will never know." The Yuba County DA declined to bring charges. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 3, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Half-sister |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Payton Sawyers, 15-months old, died after she was attacked by a vicious dog while under the care of her babysitters. On January 6, 2016 at about 9:30 pm, Grayson County sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call in the 400 block of Penn Ford Road. The child was airlifted to Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in critical condition. Sheriff Richard Vaughan said the child was attacked by the couple's pit bull-mix, "E.J.," and the dog had the child's head in its mouth. After an investigation, including executing a search warrant of the couple's home, John Underwood II, 51, and Terra Connell, 29, were charged with felony child neglect and possessing a vicious dog. Witnesses previously observed the animal being aggressive toward other animals and humans. Connell was also charged with possession of illegal drugs and possession of ammunition by a felon. On January 8, Payton died of her injuries. After her death, the Grayson County Sheriff's Office charged the couple with second-degree murder in addition to the other charges. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 8, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-rottweiler mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Babysitter |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Talan West, 7-years old, was brutally killed by a neighbor's pit bull, while two other dogs attacked and injured his 8-year old brother. The attack occurred at approximately 11:20 am in the 2400 block of Odum Road in Lumberton, a few homes down from where the siblings lived. Talan and his brother Jaylan were playing in a field behind their home when three loose dogs charged them. Jaylan jumped on a car, but his younger brother could not escape. Robeson County sheriff's deputies found Talan unresponsive with “severe puncture wounds about the body.” His mother Jamie West said the pit bull ripped out the back of his neck, breaking it. Both children were taken to Southeastern Regional Medical Center, where Talan died. His brother was treated for dog bite injuries and released. The male pit bull was found dead at the scene; the dog reportedly had a severe case of heartworms and became overexcited during the attack causing heart failure. The two dogs that attacked Jaylan, both mixed-breed females, were euthanized after the attack. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 24, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (1) Mixed-breed (2) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Aiden Grim, 3-days old, was fatally bitten on the head by a family dog. Youngstown police were called to a home in the 3500 block of Valerie Drive at about 5:45 am. Officers arrived and found the baby deceased with a head injury. The infant had been lying in a plastic laundry basket on the floor. His mother, Kristy Grim, 21, was sleeping next to him on the couch. She awoke to the baby screaming, covered in blood. Grim's brother and mother were also home at the time, along with five dogs. Authorities seized the dog that inflicted the bite. Dr. Joseph Ohr, the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy, said the baby died after the dog's teeth pierced the infant's skull causing fatal brain injuries. The death was ruled accidental. Dr. Ohr said the Labrador retriever-shepherd mix tried to pick the baby up from the laundry basket. Facebook photos -- which caused an angry backlash on social media -- showed that the dogs used these baskets as beds. No charges were filed. The male dog belonging to Grim's brother was later declared vicious and returned to him. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 7, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Labrador retriever-mix | Relationship to dog: | Famiy |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Uncle |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Suzanne Story, 36-years old, was killed by her new pit bull-mix. Perquimans County Sheriff Eric Tilley said the attack happened around 1:00 pm in the 1200 block of Snug Harbor Road. Story died just as a helicopter sent from a Virginia hospital was landing to airlift her to the facility. Story had been cleaning the dog's crate in her home when it suddenly attacked her. Her older sister and roommate, Robin Ross, heard her screams for help. Ross managed to pull the roughly 100-pound dog off her and shut the animal in the bathroom, but the dog broke a hole through the door and attacked Story again, ripping her throat out. "The dog was holding her down," Ross said. "It was horrible." Story had acquired the 1.5-year old dog, named "Buddy," about two weeks earlier from a newspaper ad placed in The Virginian Pilot. The ad said the dog was "very good" with kids and people. Cheryl Davino of Norfolk, the dog's former owner, placed the ad. Davino and her husband drove the animal across state lines to Story's home and gave her the dog free of charge. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 10, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-boxer mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Gladys Alexander, 92-years old, was killed by up to four dogs. On March 6, 2016 at 5:07 pm, Thurston County sheriff's deputies were called to a home on Entree View Drive Southwest about a dog attack. Alexander had gone to visit her neighbor who was out at the time. It was not unusual for her to let herself inside, since the neighbor provides Alexander with some day-to-day caregiving tasks. As soon as she entered the house, the four dogs attacked her. While she was being mauled, the homeowner returned. She intervened to stop the violent attack and called 911. Gladys was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. She died from her injuries two days later. The sheriff's office described the dogs as two adult pit bull-mixed breeds and two juvenile mixed-breeds, containing pit bull, Labrador retriever and heeler (Australian cattle dog). The neighbor owned one of the dogs and had been dog sitting the others for her daughter who was incarcerated. Officials seized the dogs after her death and all four were euthanized after a 10-day quarantine. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 8, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-Labrador retriever mix (2) Labrador retriever-pit bull mix (2) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased/No4 | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Bessie Flowers, 86-years old, was fatally attacked by her daughter's two pit bulls. The attack occurred just before 1:00 pm, while she was visiting her daughter's residence in 3200 block of Luke Crossing Drive. Flowers was on the back porch heading inside when she slipped or tripped onto the dog bed. The two pit bulls approached Flowers and began "playing with her," sources said. This turned into aggression, which rapidly escalated. The daughter was able to pull the dogs off Flowers and call 911. In a gasping voice, she told dispatchers, "This is an emergency. My dogs attacked and really hurt her. Please come!" The dogs mauled her face and neck causing "fatal injuries," officials said. She died at the scene. Because the daughter did not want to surrender her pit bulls to authorities, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Animal Control seized them. Both pit bulls, a male and female, were later euthanized. No autopsy was performed because the cause of death was "clear" as "blunt force neck injuries due to dog attack," the medical examiner's office said. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 28, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Daughter |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Sonda Tyson, 66-years old, was killed by her own dog. The attack occurred in the 1200 block of South Street just before 5:00 pm. A relative found Tyson lying in a pool of blood on the back porch of her home. Her daughter-in-law, Amber Fletcher, called 911, stating, "She's bleeding everywhere ... Her bones are showing..." When paramedics arrived, a large dog with blood-stained fur around his head and neck tried to get onto the porch. Paramedics first tried to block the dog's path with a refrigerator, then called police. Upon arrival, officers shot the "vicious" dog with a rifle from atop of a fire truck. Two more shots were required to kill the animal. “It was a gruesome scene," Leesburg police Lieutenant Joe Iozzi said. Her arms had "significant damage" and were missing flesh. The medical examiner said the cause of death was massive blood loss, resulting from the mauling. Relatives said that Tyson lived alone with her four dogs, including the 68 pound pit bull-bullmastiff mix named "Hercules." Tyson's son found the dog as a puppy and gave it to Tyson for "protection." [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 31, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-bullmastiff mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Valente Lopez Aguirre, 58-years old, was discovered dead in a dry canal. Farm workers found his body as they walked along the canal bank on West Barstow Avenue between Floyd and Bishop Avenues on April 14. Fresno County sheriff's deputies responded to the scene. The Fresno County Coroner's Office determined Aguirre died of an animal attack. Detectives found a group of aggressive dogs in the area. Five dogs were seized and underwent DNA testing to establish if the dogs were responsible for Aguirre's death. The results were inconclusive. On June 16, authorities released the dogs back to their owner. Three weeks later, Robert Simonian, 74, was found dead in the same canal -- this time the canal was not dry. The coroner ruled Simonian died of drowning, but he also suffered dog bite injuries. Authorities impounded the same five dogs again. No breed information was released initially. On April 29, 2017 the five suspected dogs owned by Harold Matthews were identified as three pit bull-mixes, a small mixed-breed and a chihuahua-mix. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 14, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (3) Mixed-breed (1) Chihuahua-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Property owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Sebastian Caban, 3-days old, was killed by a family dog. The attack occurred around 7:30 pm in the 8300 block of Flanders Drive. The baby was lying in bed with his parents and the dog. When his mother suddenly coughed, the dog attacked the baby's head. Both parents had to pull the 80-pound dog off the baby. After two 911 call attempts that went unanswered, the couple rushed the baby to the hospital themselves, where he was declared dead. The medical examiner's office listed the cause of death as "dog bite injuries of the head." Deputy Director of San Diego County Animal Services, Dan DeSousa, told the media the dog was an American Staffordshire terrier, a breed more commonly known as a pit bull. Within three hours of media reports, DeSousa used multiple breed names to distance the dog from a pit bull, including a "great dane-terrier mix" -- a denial of any pit bull heritage. Five days after the newborn's death, San Diego Humane Society admitted they adopted out the neutered 2-year old pit bull-mix named "Polo" to the couple 5-months earlier. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 21, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-great dane mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Manuel Mejia, 49-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs in southwest Miami-Dade County. Mejia was a live-in caretaker at a dragon fruit farm in the 30000 block of Southwest 229th Avenue in Homestead. On April 23, at approximately 8:10 pm, up to 10 dogs kept by the owner of the farm viciously attacked Mejia. His girlfriend, Pamela Babineau, witnessed the attack. She called 911 screaming, asking for help. Mejia was airlifted to Kendall Regional Medical Center where he died of his injuries six hours later. The medical examiner's report listed his cause of death as "dog mauling." The report showed he sustained severe bite injuries to his head, neck, chest, back and legs, fractured ribs and more. The dogs are described as a female American bulldog and nine Belgian malinois-bulldog mix offspring about 8-months old. Babineau told Miami-Dade police three dogs instigated the attack and up to seven others joined in, indicating that all 10 dogs were involved. The uncooperative owner of the dogs, Reynaldo Torres, was cited for having unregistered and unlicensed dogs. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 24, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog (1) Belgian malinois-bulldog mix (9) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Business owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Antoinette Brown, 52-years old, suffered catastrophic injury by a pack of loose dogs. The attack occurred in the 3300 block of Rutledge Street on May 2 around 4:45 am. The Dallas Police Department did not confirm the attack until 5 days later. Due to protocol failures between police and Dallas Animal Services (DAS) the dogs were not seized until four days later. Brown sustained over 100 bite injuries. Her mother, Barbara Brown, said the dogs, "Ate her like they was eating a steak." Doctors placed her into a medically induced coma. She died on May 9 after being removed from life support. DAS and other city officials came under fire after the attack. The city had recently increased efforts to combat the longstanding loose dog problem in south Dallas, but it was insufficient. DAS seized seven dogs from a Spring Avenue home suspected in the attack. Between July 2013 and September 2015, DAS seized 21 dogs from the same home due to violations. On October 31, 2016 police announced, “based on the lack of evidence, detectives will be closing the case.” [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 9, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (4) Rottweiler-mix (1) Shepherd-mix (1) Doberman-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Adonis Reddick, 45-years old, was killed by his own pit bull. He was found dead by family members at his home in the 2200 block of Redman Road near Spanish Lake around 10:30 am. Family members had not heard from him for a few days so they stopped by to check on him. They found him lifeless with bite injuries and his pit bull, "Milow," loose in the house behaving extremely aggressive. St. Louis County police officers responded to the residence and shot and killed the pit bull because law enforcement could not control the animal. Another dog in the house, a female German shepherd-mix, was taken into custody without incident. The county medical examiner determined that Reddick died of "penetrating and perforating" wounds to the neck, St. Louis County police spokesman Shawn McGuire said. Reddick had developmental disabilities and is remembered as a powerful advocate for others living with disabilities. In 2015, Reddick won a national award, the Self Advocate of the Year Catalyst Award, for his efforts to educate and support others with disabilities. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 9, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Earl Stephens Jr., 43-years old, was killed by a pit bull while visiting the owner's home. The attack occurred around 3:45 pm in the 500 block of north Gertrude Avenue. Stephens had gone to his friend's east Stockton home to help him repair a scooter in his fenced-in front yard. The men were inside the home when Stephens walked outside to get some cigarettes from his car, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said. As soon as he walked into the front yard, his friend's pit bull, "Harley," viciously attacked him. The dog had been friendly to Stephens earlier in the day. Sounds from the attack caused his friend and a woman inside the home to rush outside to help. The woman was bitten on her fingers while struggling with the dog. The friend was struck in the head accidentally by a hammer the woman was using on the dog. Stephens' injuries were described as "massive." When deputies arrived, they found Harley in the yard still aggressive. They shot and killed the dog. Two younger offspring pit bulls also participated in the attack and were impounded. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 4, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male (primary attacker) | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Hunter Bragg, 7-years old, was killed by a pit bull while visiting his father. The attack occurred at the home of Gary Merchant Jr. in the 200 block of Moody's Mill Road in Corinna. Hunter's father, Jason Bragg, was living in a camper on the Merchant property. At 5:13 pm, Penobscot County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a dog attack. When they arrived, Hunter was already dead. Hunter had been playing in the yard with two other children when the pit bull attacked his throat and face. The medical examiner's report said Hunter died of "blunt and sharp force injuries of head and neck." There were eight dogs living on the property at the time of the attack. The culprit, a 1.5-year old male pit bull, named "Koda," -- described as a "brindle with a white face" -- previously belonged to the daughter of Merchant's wife since it was a puppy. She returned the dog to the Merchants in early 2016 after it attacked another dog in her home multiple times, according to the animal bite report filed after Hunter's death. Merchant had the dog euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 4, 2016 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Erin McCleskey, 36-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs while serving civil papers to a home. McCleskey was an independent contractor for a legal support services provider. On the afternoon of June 15, McCleskey drove to 12316 Fay Street in Manor. She exited her vehicle, leaving it running, and entered the property's front gate. Upon entering, she was attacked by up to six dogs. The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office said McCleskey had been dead for at least five hours before being found. A neighbor, who saw her running car parked in front of the gate, found her body around 9:00 pm. The dogs' owner, Terry Swanson, was away at the time. Authorities seized six adult dogs: four Labrador retriever-mixes and two Australian cattle dog-mixes. There were also 14 puppies on the property in a pen. Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Herb Evans ordered the adult dogs euthanized. He noted in his order, "She didn't deserve to die, and these animals don't have a license to kill." After 20 months of legal wrangling, the adult dogs were put down. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 15, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Labrador retriever-mix (4) Australian cattle dog-mix (2) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Property owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Jocelyn Winfrey, 53-years old, was killed by two dogs while visiting the dog owner's home. On June 20, at about 7:45 pm, Winfrey and Dr. Hamilton Hicks, a resident in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, returned to his residence in the 1500 block of Ella T. Grasso Boulevard. After the two stepped inside Hicks' fenced-in yard, his two American bulldog-mixes viciously attacked Winfrey. Hicks intervened and was repeatedly bitten, but he could not stop his dogs. Alderman Brian Wingate lives nearby and witnessed part of the attack. He described the scene as "really, really horrific." Another witness said, "Half of her face was basically bitten off. She looked like she was dead." Winfrey underwent cardiac arrest twice while en route to Yale-New Haven Hospital. She lost a leg and both eyes in the attack. On June 27, doctors removed Winfrey from life support and she died. New Haven police arrested Hicks with illegal drug possession after allegedly finding multiple bags of crack on him at the scene. No charges were filed in connection to the dog attack. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 27, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog-mix (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | No/Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Susie Kirby, 3-days old, was mauled to death by two family dogs. Fresno police were dispatched to a residence in the 3700 block of North Glenn Avenue around 12:30 am for a report of a dog biting an infant. The baby was transported to Community Regional Medical Center, where she later died. The baby's' mother had placed the infant on a recliner-type couch and put pillows around her so that she would not fall off, according to Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer. Earlier, the mother had propped open the front door to let cooler air inside. When she left the baby to go to the bathroom, she believed her brother's two male dogs -- one with a history of aggression -- were tied up outside. But, that was untrue. "While she was in the bathroom," Chief Dyer said, "the dog came through the door, grabbed the infant and took that baby outside." The baby's uncle returned home from the store and found his dogs attacking Susie outside, Dyer said. Both dogs, described as a mix of shar-pei and pit bull, were euthanized. Police turned the case over to Child Protection Services. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 27, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-shar pei mix (1) Shar pei-pit bull mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Uncle |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Kayden Begay, 3-years old, was struck down by a pack of pit bulls while visiting his paternal grandparent's home in Seba Dalkai, Arizona on the Navajo Nation. The boy's mother, Kimasha Shorty, told the Navajo Times that on July 14, her son followed her aunt outside to get the cattle when a pack of 12 pit bulls belonging to a neighbor attacked and killed him. Shorty was told the left side of his face had been torn off. The owner of the dogs, Marlinda Begay, is a relative on Kayden's father's side, the mother said. Shorty was told his aunt was unaware that Kayden had followed her outside. People in the area had complained to the Navajo Nation Rangers about these dogs attacking livestock before, Shorty said, but no action was ever taken. A report from the Navajo Nation Animal Control Program obtained by the Associated Press confirmed that five dogs killed the boy before officials arrived. Navajo officials shot and killed two dogs on scene and took three others into custody. Those dogs were later euthanized. All five dogs tested negative for rabies. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 14, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (5) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor/relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Elizabeth Rivera, 71-years old, was mauled to death by up to four family pit bulls at her southwest Detroit home. Police were dispatched to a home in the 2000 block of Ferdinand Street around 8:00 pm. Sergeant Michael Woody with the Detroit Police Department said a family pit bull attacked the woman, knocking her down then attacked her throat, severing her jugular vein. She died at the scene. Rivera's granddaughter arrived home and found her lifeless body on the home's first floor. After an autopsy, the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said that Rivera died of "crush injury to the neck." The manner of death was an accident. Family members said the pit bulls belonged to Rivera's daughter and her daughter's boyfriend. Several years ago, Rivera was severely bitten in the face by a different pit bull owned by the same couple, relatives said. Rivera underwent extensive surgeries and skin grafts after the earlier attack. That pit bull was put down, family members said. On July 16, one or more pit bulls owned by the same family members killed Rivera. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 16, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (4) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Daughter |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Crisencio Aliado, 2-years old, was found bloody and dead on the banks of the Kalihi stream. A bus driver spotted his body on July 29 around 6:35 pm. A witness had seen him alive 20 minutes earlier. Two dogs seen sniffing his body were seized by the Honolulu Police Department. The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that Aliado died due to multiple dog bite wounds. The attack occurred behind a business, ContainerLand, located at 2312 Kamehameha Highway. The owners of ContainerLand confirmed to news sources that the two dogs in custody at the Hawaiian Humane Society, both pit bull-mixes, belonged to them. The owners claimed their dogs "somehow" escaped the fenced warehouse. Aliado was a homeless man, according to reports. A friend of Aliado, Norbert Cardoza, said that Aliado had been washing his clothing in a nearby stream when he was attacked. “He was the most mild-mannered person you could meet. Didn't bother nobody. Just that he was homeless." On August 11, authorities returned both pit bulls to their owners. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 29, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Business owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Michelle Wilcox, 30-years old, was killed her boyfriend's pit bull while visiting his home. Screven County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a home on Jenkins Lane around 6:00 pm where they found Wilcox dead. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Wilcox died of injuries inflicted by the dog. No one else was home during the attack, according to a statement issued by Sheriff Mike Kile. The boyfriend destroyed the dog, a male pit bull, after discovering the attack. Wilcox was familiar with the dogs and had handled them on "numerous occasions in the past," and "none of the dogs in the home had any known history of viciousness or aggression," the statement said. It is later learned that one of the boyfriend's two male pit bulls, "Kaos," had "some legal charges over an attack," while under the care of its former owner. Wilcox was a meat inspector employed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and studied pre-veterinary medicine at Gainesville State College and animal science at the University of Georgia. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 1, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Boyfriend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Derion Stevenson, 9-years old, was killed by a pit bull while visiting a friend's home. Police responded to the 6000 block of Duck Hill Springs Drive around 3:30 pm after a report of a dog attack. Derion had gone to a friend's home to "get some candy," relatives said. When the front door opened, the dog attacked his face and throat. He was rushed to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, where he died. “This 9-year-old young man was with friends when this incident occurred," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Jesse Roybal said. “Not only is this tragic for this young man's family, but for his friends that had to witness it.” The Clark County coroner's office said the boy died from blunt force injuries to the neck and head. His death was ruled an accident. The 3-year old unaltered male pit bull, "Left Eye," was euthanized the next day. Three weeks before the attack, Left Eye attacked a pet dog in the neighborhood. At that time, Clark County animal control officers did not declare the dog dangerous or vicious. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 17, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Michael Downing, 83-years old, was killed by up to four large dogs. Around 4:25 pm, Jacksonville police officers responded to a call about a deceased man in the 1100 block of Jessie Street. The man was found dismembered along the fence line inside the dog owner's backyard. The fence line divides the parking lot of the Franklin Arms Apartments, where the victim lived, and the dog owner's backyard. Police believe the dogs escaped their yard through a hole in the fence, attacked the man then dragged him back under the fence. Witnesses said Downing was taking trash out to the dumpster when the dogs attacked. Mackenzie Partin, who found his body said, "He was eaten alive." The owner of the dogs, Lephus Felton, 52, falsely accused the victim of "antagonizing my dogs." Felton described his dogs as one rottweiler and three being part rottweiler, German shepherd and chow. Felton was away when the attack occurred, when he returned, a woman told him his dogs killed a man in his backyard. All four dogs were declared dangerous and euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 19, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler (1) Mixed-breed (3) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Susan Shawl, 60-years old, was killed by two family pit bulls inside her home. Jefferson County sheriff's deputies responded to the 31900 block of Black Widow Drive around 7:00 pm regarding a dog attack. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Shawl badly mauled, "barely conscious" and heavily bleeding. Deputies tried to keep her alive using a tourniquet as medical responders rushed in. Initially, a medical helicopter was called to the scene, but was later canceled. Shawl died at the scene. The two pit bulls belonged to her son, 36-year old Richard Shawl, who also resides at the home. The dogs also attacked Richard. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries trying to help his mother. He was transported to a local hospital. The family had owned the pit bulls for at least 8-years. In 2008, Jefferson County Animal Control issued a warning citation to Richard about his dogs being "loose and aggressive." Just after the deadly attack, a photo of the two family pit bulls appearing calm and idyllic from Richard's Facebook page was featured on many news stories. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 29, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Son |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Baby Jane Doe, 6-days old, died after being attacked by a family dog. The only news report of this newborn's death was reported by Rusty Surette of KBTX on September 23, 2016 -- over three weeks later. The vague report by Surette stated only that the infant died after an "incident" with the family dog and did not state if the newborn died due to a "bite" injury. To confirm whether the infant was a dog bite fatality victim, we sent public information requests to three separate Texas agencies: Brazos County Health Department, Texas Department of State Health Services (Temple) and the College Station Police Department. According to the "front page" of a College Station police report, the only page we were able to obtain, the attack occurred around 8:50 pm at a residence in the 1300 block of Haley Place. Police responded to St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital after the victim was "transported here due to an animal attack," states the report. At that time, the baby was "deceased." The injuries are described as, "punctures and lacerations through skull." [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 1, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Unreleased (1) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Family member |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Piper Dunbar, 2-years old, was killed by a pit bull belonging to a family friend. Around 8:00 pm, Topeka police officers responded to a 911 call in the 800 block of Southeast Carnahan Avenue after a report of a missing child. A search-and rescue team began going door-to-door in the neighborhood searching for her. Piper was found dead in the northeast corner of her front yard under a tarp. Topeka police Lieutenant Bryan Wheeles attributed her death to a dog attack. Authorities seized two dogs that were in a fenced-in area at the home. Police identified both dogs as pit bulls. The dogs belonged to Margaret Jaramillo (Johnson), a family friend who was temporarily staying at the home. The child's father, Donnie Dunbar, said his daughter slipped away when he fell asleep. The two pit bulls had been in the backyard, but made their way into the front yard to attack the child. Dunbar said that when police located his daughter they "tackled" him. Both Dunbar and Jaramillo were taken by police to the law enforcement center for questioning. Both dogs were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 24, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Family friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Kiyana McNeal, 4-years old, was killed by a dog she had known less than an hour. St. Joseph County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the 63000 block of West Fish Lake Road just after 4:00 pm for a report of a dog attack. The child's mother, Jacey McNeal Wolkins, had been searching for a new family dog after her previous dog died of cancer. The new dog, a doberman-type, arrived on October 23, 2016. The former owner stayed with Kiyana and her mother for 30 to 45 minutes, as they got acquainted with the new dog, then he departed for Illinois. About five minutes after he left, Jacey called the man for unknown reasons and asked him to return, according to family members. Before he returned, the dog attacked Kiyana in the neck as she tried to give the dog a biscuit. The man returned while the dog was attacking Kiyana and her mother was struggling to protect her. The man carried the child outside and began CPR. Emergency responders tried to resuscitate Kiyana, but she died at the scene. No charges were brought. The dog's previous owner was never named. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 23, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Doberman-mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Mother/Seller |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Daisie Bradshaw, 68-years old, was killed by her daughter's dogs. NYPD officers responded to a 911 call for an unresponsive female on Simonson Avenue around 9:40 am. Police found Bradshaw's body in the basement of her Staten Island home covered in bite marks, bruises and lacerations, along with two blood-soaked dogs. The canines belong to Bradshaw's daughter, Dawn Schoentube, who also lives in the basement, but was away at the time. Police impounded both dogs. About 10 days later, the dogs were listed on the NYC Urgent Dog website, which urges people to adopt dogs on death row. Both dogs, "Jacob" and "Panda," were identified as male pit bull-mixes that were "on hold for legal reasons." To stop the city from euthanizing the dogs, Schoentube testified at a hearing that her own mother "was an intruder in my apartment" and had "provoked" the dogs. Schoentube's husband conjectured Bradshaw may have had an epileptic seizure, prompting the attack, despite the fact that Bradshaw had never had a seizure before. Both dogs were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 25, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-German shepherd mix (1) German shepherd-pit bull mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male (2) | Owner of dog: | Daughter |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Isaiah Jacob Franklin, 6-years old, was fatally attacked by a family pit bull. The violence occurred just after 9:00 pm inside a home in the 2600 block of 9th Avenue, Huntington Police Chief Joe Ciccarelli confirmed. Scanner traffic reports indicated Isaiah suffered severe injuries to his head and neck. He was transported to Cabell Huntington Hospital, where he died of his injuries. Family members said the 3-year old male pit bull, "Tiny," belonged to his mother's boyfriend and that it attacked the child without provocation or warning. Two adults where in the room with Isaiah as he finished playing a video game when the dog suddenly attacked; his mother was in the next room. The dog had been living in the household for about a year, according to his mother. Recent photographs of the pit bull posted to social media showed the dog was unneutered. The family also owned a female pit bull, "Charisma," who was new to the home but uninvolved in the attack. Both dogs were taken into custody by Huntington Animal Control. Tiny was euthanized by a court order. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 2, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Mother's boyfriend |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
David Fear, 64-years old, was killed by a "retired" attack-trained police K-9 after it escaped confinement. The multi-victim attack occurred just after 1:15 pm in the 1100 block of Nacimiento Avenue. The dog first attacked Fear's neighbor, 86-year old Betty Long. Fear intervened and suffered critical injuries, including two arteries in his arms being severed. He died three days later. Long suffered dog bite injuries and multiple broken bones from falling. Grover Police Officer Alex Geiger, 25, owned the Belgian malinois, "Neo." Before joining Grover Beach, which had no K-9 unit, Geiger worked at the Exeter Police Department in Tulare County with his last year spent as a K-9 patrol officer with Neo. Geiger was charged with three felony counts in connection to the deadly mauling. In 2019, he was acquitted on all charges. The victims' families sued Geiger, his landlords, the city of Grover Beach and the Exeter Police Department. In 2018, the landlords settled for $500,000. In 2021, a jury awarded the victims $20 million in damages. In 2024, an appeals court overturned this verdict.5 [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 16, 2016 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Belgian malinois | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Police officer |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2016 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Deaths involving minor dog bite injury, dog-related caused injury (killed by a car while fleeing a dog) and cases that lacked a "reasonably clear" determination of death after dog bite injury are not included in our fatality statistical data. Deaths involving fatal non-bite injury (struck by dog death) or deaths due to untreated severe dog bites (sepsis) may be added to our statistical data at a future time.
Fatal Pit Bull Attacks: An archive of U.S. fatal pit bull maulings from 1833 to December 2024, maintained by DogsBite.org.
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