Fourth Time Police Had Been Called to Owner's Home
A man died after being attacked by a pit bull and dragged up and down the sidewalk.
Man Killed by Dog
Big Spring, TX - A 46-year old man is dead after being attacked by a dog in Big Spring. The fatal attack occurred about 6:00 am in the 1100 block of East 13th Street. Neighbors told NewsWest 9 the man was dragged up and down the sidewalk before police arrived. Officers open fired on the dog, described as a pit bull, before Big Spring Animal Control took the dog into custody. John Henry, 46-years old, was transferred to Scenic Mountain Medical Center where he later died.
One neighbor, a former dispatch worker, witnessed the attack. "They were all around him just trying to get the dog off him," Traci Myrick said. "I just felt so helpless because I couldn’t do anything." Myrick awoke that morning to screaming and her own dogs barking. She quickly called 911. "They had sticks, they had a tire even all throwing it at the dog," she said. "The dog would stop a little bit and then go back to the man." Myrick stayed on the line with 911 during the attack.
According to neighbors, the owner of the dog lives at an abandoned home on the block. This is probably the fourth time police have been to the home, Myrick said, and they've only been living there for about three weeks. The owner also has a pit bull puppy, Myrick said. It is unclear at this time if the owner of the dog will face charges. The dog is currently being held at the Big Spring Animal Shelter. Big Spring is located in Howard County near the cities of Midland and Odessa.
Wednesday Updates
Myrick also spoke to Big 2 News and added more details. She even compared the pit bull's attack to a police K9 attack. "One man tried getting the dog to chase him down the street, he was the one who got bit,” Myrick said. “But, then the dog turned around and started attacking the man across the street, like police dogs do. I mean he just tackled him on the ground and went after him." She was panicked at the time, she said. "I was just trying to think of anything I can do to help this man."
Also, the Mayor Big Spring, Shannon Thomason, commented on the local police news release. Constituents were not pleased by his comments. "To see this kind of response from a city official is extremely embarrassing," Cody said. "Have you heard of decorum? Instead of condescension you could have approached the conversation with a helpful attitude and tried to educate one of your constituents on the details of a situation that obviously has people concerned for their safety."
One person told the mayor, referring to the number of roaming dogs in the city, "It’s a shame you don’t drive the streets of Big Spring more often." The mayor responded, "Now how would you know about my driving habits?" Commenter Rachel replied, "It’s a shame that you speak to constituents this way." Other people asked the mayor, "When is the next election?" Cody replied, "Not soon enough." Recall, this is a thread about a 46-year old man killed by a loose pit bull.
Media Release - 5-11-2021
On the 11th of May 2021, at approximately 6:00 A.M., Big Spring Police Department officers responded to the 1100 block of E. 13th due to an unknown disturbance. Upon arrival, officers immediately observed a dog attacking a male individual identified as John Henry, Hispanic/Male 46 years of age. Officers observed two more individuals outside trying to get the dog to stop attacking Mr. Henry. The officers discharged their weapons in the direction of the dog, scaring the dog away.
Mr. Henry was immediately transported to Scenic Mountain Medical Center for treatment, but unfortunately, has died. The actual cause of death is not known at this time; an autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow morning. The Big Spring Police Department Criminal Investigations Division arrived on scene and are currently investigating this incident. Animal Control Wardens arrived on scene and were able to capture the dog which is now in quarantine at the Big Spring Animal Shelter. During this incident, another male individual was also bitten; he was treated and released from SMMC. This case is still under investigation and no further information is available at this time.
Chief of Police, Chad Williams
Administrative Lieutenant Brian Gordon
CID Sergeant John Haynes
Area where man was fatally attacked by a pit bull and dragged up and down the sidewalk.
View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Texas Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.Related articles:
05/01/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Family Dog Fatally Mauls 4-Year Girl in Fort Worth, Texas
03/02/12: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Killed by Pack of Dogs During State Power Crisis
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.
This is the type of news event that I feel so extremely depressed about. Walk on the public street, and suddenly, a fate worse than death; or mercifully, death in four minutes and martyrdom to Heaven, by a society that enables this unreasonable risk of grave threat. I blame federal, state and local government for forcing this excruciating painful martyrdom upon the elderly, the newborn and everyone else. Our society is spiritually bankrupt. All of our layers of government are spiritually bankrupt. People who force dangerous breed canines onto us are considered normal by our criminally insane society. It does not matter if the owner of the canine is a state senator. It does not matter if the owner of the canine lives in an upscale house in an upscale neighborhood and is a productive member of society. It does not matter if the owner of the canine is a narcotics trade worker that lives in an underground economy neighborhood. Bottom line: The owner of the dog harbored a dangerous breed canine, because people who choose to own dangerous canines do so because they are devoid of love for self and neighbor.
So true. I tried really hard to get my municipal officials to do something years ago after my dog was attacked. “Let’s not pick on the pit bulls, cats bite too!” A year later two pits invaded a mans home and chewed his arms so badly amputation was considered. The spca is no better, our local director said, “those were not killer dogs, they licked me so hard my glasses fell off. Our provincial government actually registers pit rescues as certified charities, I read some bios on the dogs-not good with small children, no other pets in home, no cats, dog reactive, so we are importing killer dogs from the US, and legitimizing this nonsense by granting them non profit status, I think they also get gaming money. Oh, and I just had two pits try to kill my dog, of course the owners phoned the rcmp on me because I threatened to kill their dogs. Now I am forbidden to contact them for vet bills. Something is deeply wrong with our society.
The thing that’s wrong can be summed up in two words:
Dog Worship.
It’s out of control and it’s at the root of all the problems this website covers in great detail.
Yes!
“The spca is no better, our local director said, “those were not killer dogs, they licked me so hard my glasses fell off.”
That director has zero understanding of dog behaviour. I’d like to know how he got his job.
A dog pinning someone down and licking them isn’t “affection”–it’s what dogs do to those they view as their inferiors.
Anyone who has lived with more than one dog would already know this. It’s a common, observable dog behaviour.
Note we are not importing hounds and beagles from the USA in western Canada.
Just pitbulls.
Can you ask a lawyer to send a letter, Cathy? Is there a legal clinic where you are?
It takes some real talent to attract four police visits in three weeks. Here’s hoping that the dog owner was arrested and is being held without bond.
I can’t imagine not only being mauled, but being dragged back and forth by a beast while clinging to life. Pit bulls are just like any other breed, says nutters. Never heard of any other type of dog, dragging a person’s body around the ground. I hope that owner is jailed.
A man is murdered by a homeless man’s dog. The homeless man lives in an abandoned building. He probably has no money. His dog’s disgusting behavior will be repeated by a puppy that has a very irresponsible owner. The killer will be killed as all but Dexter have been.
The owner doesn’t know how to confine his monster. Put him in prison. Otherwise, he will collect a bunch more pit bulls to turn loose on the public.
Farmers routinely securely confine dangerous farm animals.
If farmers can keep one ton animals from mauling and killing, why cannot people control man-killing dogs that mostly weigh under 100 pounds. The reason is simple. They don’t want to.
Did the dogs’ owner get them to protect drug dealers? Does he manufacture drugs in an abandoned building so his home cannot be claimed by the USA government? I’m sick of all of this. Imprison the owner and throw the key away. PTS both dogs, as the puppy isn’t likely to become a gentle, trustworthy pet. Besides, he likely originates from killer bloodlines. Prohibit their owner from ever owning any dog the rest of his life.
I used to live in an area where two of the homes on my block had long-term, chronic squatters. People who have been living in the houses for over 5 years! Of course, both houses had 1-2 pit bulls living in them. I always find it perplexing that people who can’t afford to pay any rent can somehow feed 1-2 large pits. This unfortunate case will be an example of trying to get blood from a stone. We can only hope that the bum who owned the pits and nothing else in his life is held accountable in some way. I think about the two similar properties that were in my old neighborhood and if there would be anyone to sue if the occupant’s dogs attacked. The bank that holds the foreclosed property? The estate of the long-deceased prior homeowner?
In the past year or so in my neighborhood a family was attacked by their neighbor’s pit bull. The husband blogged on Nextdoor.com about it. The pit latched onto his wife’s leg and dragged her more than one car length down the street. She suffered several nasty maul bites and significant road rash. I agree with Derek, there is no other breed of dog that does this.
And explain to me again how you have to have proof that a attack was imminent when you kill an aggressively approaching Pitbull ….. !??
What a sick society we live in…
That’s three fatalities since last week’s article on European statistics, article.
I don’t even know where to start.
If it was dangerous headache medicine the brand would be recalled and outlawed by now.
I can’t read the FB article or mayor’s comments.
What did he have to say about it, roughly?
Well that proves that daydrinking at city hall shouldn’t be encouraged 😉
I’ve been seeing a physical therapist for physical therapy who is a young married Pakistani woman who was raised in Pakistan. She, like many Pakistani women, is absolutely terrified by dogs. That means all breeds and all sizes of dogs. She, like many others, is so terrified of dogs that she could easily run in front of a loaded semi on the highway and have absolutely no thought that the semi could kill her baby and herself. Their fear is a phobia.
Why does she react that way?
Pakistan has many hungry packs of dogs running the streets which are quite dangerous to pedestrians. In addition, Pakistan does not have a good rabies prevention program. Would one rather die of rabies, be killed and eaten by a hungry pack of dogs, or hope one can flee to safety?
The question she asked me today was if it was true that the only issue with pit bulls was how they were raised. Wow! A woman who would be concerned about a nice, friendly, vaccinated toy poodle killing her thought a pit bull would be a trustworthy pet as long as it had been raised right. I doubt if any pit bulls in shelters were raised correctly so I don’t see how any would make good pets. I also think her phobia of dogs is so great she would run from a pit bull and be killed in the road. Typically, these woman are terrified by newborn puppies with no teeth and closed eyes and ear canals. I have not spoken to Pakistani men about this except for one man who was raised in the USA. He was fine.