Pit bulls are suspected in an attack that killed Dennis Moore and injured another man.
Cause of Death Determined
UPDATE 09/11/22: In September, the medical examiner determined that Dennis Moore died from a cardiac event prompted by the dog attack. Moore was found dead in an alley on July 10 with severe trauma to his body. St. Louis Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Graham said that Moore, "died from heart disease that was exacerbated by this attack -- not either one of those things by themselves." Graham added, "We think most of the extreme damage occurred after he died."
Prior to the dogs being captured, they attacked a 92-year old man in the alley, and the next day, they attacked 23-year old Kevin Davis. Both men were treated at a hospital. The three pit bulls seized after the attacks remain impounded. The city's health department released a statement saying, in part, "the department remains concerned for the public’s safety regarding three dogs connected with this incident." The department has recommended euthanasia for the animals.
07/12/22: Mauling Victim Identified
Family members identified the victim as 62-year old Dennis Moore. Police told his wife, Melvina Moore, that she should not see his body. "We don’t want you to remember these wounds. We don't even want to tell you how many times he was bitten," she told KSDK. Moore was discovered dead in an alley Sunday morning, suffering from "significant bodily wounds." A 92-year old man was also discovered in an alley with dog bite injuries. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
"The dogs ate him up to the point where his body was decayed, they can't show me his body. They didn't eat his head up." - Melvina Moore
The couple married after meeting in the Penrose neighborhood in 2016. "We had a wonderful wedding, and I asked him 'I never had a wedding before," Melvina said. "I mean, to take in a woman with seven kids, just think about it." Moore was a retired landscaper, who often helped the elderly cut their grass in the neighborhood, reports KSDK. Melvina said she knew something was wrong when Moore did not call her Saturday night as she worked a nightshift at a nursing home.
When she called him Sunday morning, police answered the phone. They would not tell her the circumstances over the phone. "The dogs ate my husband up like wolves," she said shakily. "I don't know how to move on." She is now trying to raise money for his funeral costs. Animal Control seized three pit bulls suspected of being involved in the attacks, police said. The dogs, described by police as pit bulls, matched descriptions of "several dog bites in the area," reports KTVI.
07/11/22: Multi-Victim Dog Attack
St. Louis, MO - KTVI reports that three pit bulls are suspected in the death of one man and the injury of another. The multi-victim attack occurred sometime between 11:30 pm Saturday and 6:30 am Sunday in the 4800 block of San Francisco Avenue, located in the Penrose neighborhood on the north side of St. Louis. Arriving police officers discovered a 62-year old man suffering from "significant bodily wounds" and a 92-year old man in a nearby alley with dog bite injuries.
The 62-year old man was "possibly attacked by pit bulls," an investigation revealed, who apparently died at the scene. The 92-year old man was transported to a hospital. Animal control officers confiscated three pit bulls in the area. The medical examiner's office and the city's Animal Control Division are handling the investigation, KTVI reports. The current condition of the 92-year old man is unknown. Thus far, we have located only a few news reports about this attack.
A report from KMOV states the 62-year old man was dead when police arrived. Officers found him in the backyard of a home. While officers searched the scene, they discovered the 92-year old man, who was suffering from a large number of dog bites. The older man got the bites from several dogs attacking him in the alley. KMOV did not report any breed information, but stated, "Animal Control later found three dogs matching the description of several attacks in the area."
Related articles:
12/08/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: 61-Year Old Missouri Woman Killed by Daughter's Pit Bulls
07/13/21: Man Found Dead in a Ditch After Dog Attack in McDonald County, Missouri
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.
My goodness how innocent people has to died before america ban pitbull for good.if you go on YouTube and there a fatal pitbull attack they sing the same oh the baby did this or that the baby was to mean to the pitbull or that not a real pitbull.but my all time favorite one is the owner or person abused the pitbull or train the pitbull aggressive .last thing if pitbull are wonderful dog why aren’t they therapy dog or dogs for the disabled.
I am disabled and the thought that a pitbull therapy dog wannabe could kill him scares me. Mine is a GSD that wags his tail for cats to play with. There is absolutely no place for pitbulls as therapy or service dogs. The delightful temperament of many pitbull puppies can turn into viciousness at mental maturity. Why spend the enormous number of hours required to train a future therapy or service dog only to have to scrap the dog at one year of age. Folks should choose puppies with ideal temperament from safer breeds. Then I wouldn’t have to fear my dog will be killed in public by them.
This dog attack is tragic and will likely become a double fatality. Is the owner of the dogs known. Did either injured men own them. What signaled the police of the attack. Hopefully more information will become available.
GSDs can be almost as dangerous as pit bulls. I was attacked by a GSD, it knocked me to the floor, bit both legs to the bone, and then tried to kill my dog. It had already nearly killed the neighbours dog a few months before.
I have a GSD mix myself and a friend has 2 purebred GSDs – I’m familiar with the breed. The breed in general is wary of strange humans and do not hesitate to bite what they perceive as a threat. Without training/ socialization they can be an extremely dangerous breed.
Correction I meant to how many innocent had to died they sing the same tune and the owner or the person abused the pitbull or train the pitbull to be aggressive.
Stray Rescue of St. Louis is a shelter w an organization icon of a pitbull. I have seen some of its videos. I hope it is not in a dog bed with Animal Control.
Are the two men related or friends.
That’s unclear right now. Dennis Moore seems to be a dear man. What a loss to his family and the community!
I wonder how the 92 yr old man is doing and how serious his injuries are. I’m sure this trauma will take a few years off his life – sorry to say
Such a kind man. He did not deserve this death.
It’s amazing that a child hasn’t died from these monsters roaming that alley. That’s where children usually play. Pit bulls are not predators. In the wild, predators kill to live. These killers kill for the joy of it. Whenever there’s video of pit bulls attacking, the tails are wagging. Often, after the cops/animal control are dragging them away from a fatality…the tails are wagging. One of the few breeds that attack unprovoked, going after children, the elderly and the disabled. They’re disgusting manmade mutants.
Do we know if the AVMA has received information on the pitbulls killing and maiming people. Maybe we could help them learn.
Good question. A vet named Mark Mathusa wrote a book called “My Dog Doesn’t Bite!” It’s full of horror stories. He told me he’s very cautious treating pits. I think he requires a muzzle. He also described a veterinary conference where a slide of a Rottweiler came up and all 500 vets yelled, “Never trust a Rottweiler.” He’s had bad experiences with them, too. Last month, I met a woman vet who has to deal with dangerous dogs all the time. Sometimes, she’ll just refuse to treat. Like the woman who brought in a big nasty pit that was off its meds that day. She was recently attacked by a “friendly” German Shepard mix. Almost took her face off. It would be interesting to see if there’s been any studies done with the dangers veterinarians are facing having to work with the proliferation of pit bull and pit mixes? Also, vet assistants who, like many shelter workers, have a naïve and altruistic attitude toward ALL dogs.
Thanks for this info, Teresa! Based on an earlier comment by you, I had done a search for this book to no avail. My library system doesn’t carry the book so we placed an InterLibrary Loan request on it.
How many innocent people and other creatures have to be bitten, mauled, ripped apart and sometimes even ingested by pit bulls before they are banned? What is the matter with people – they keep making excuses for dogs genetically wired to fight and kill.
I find this absolutely shocking
“Animal Control would not answer questions about the dogs seized, such as whether they were microchipped or registered and where they were found. Representatives would not answer by email or in person at the Animal Control office where someone slammed the door on FOX 2’s request to see the dogs.”
https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/dna-may-be-key-to-solving-fatal-dog-attack-case/
Methinks that Animal Control is involved in a cover-up.
Oh my gosh, I just read on National Pit bull Victim Awareness site that a Kevin Davis is a third victim(not dead) of the same dogs that killed the 62 year old man and seriously injured the 92 year old man.
In the article it said he was attacked AFTER those two men? Maybe I read that wrong? But what stood out to me was that Kevin was “so happy to be home with his own pit bull type dog, … and that he had been planning on breeding his dog to a neighbor’s dog…” ( paraphrasing a bit here.)
My point being: He obviously doesn’t GET IT! He doesn’t get that it’s the breed! He’s thinking those were just bad dogs. My head swirls.
P.S. I just reread the article. It says Kevin Davis said he knew Dennis and was planning on mating his pit bull to a pit bull Dennis owned.
These folks are living in the middle of all this and can still think the breed is fine and their own dogs are fine.
Sorry, I just couldn’t believe what I was reading; I had to go back to it yet again.
According to article POLICE say the third attack on Kevin happened the night after the other two men. This is crazy.
Has anything come of the Kevin Davis article? Also, does anyone know anything about the condition of the 92 year old man, I’m wondering?
Anyone else suspect the results of whatever tests were performed or the status of the dogs they picked up will never be released to the public?
In a sane world “suspected of killing a man” would be a good enough reason to put down a dog if it was picked up at large. We are in clown world not sane world.
the laws have to be changed and all citizens should be allowed to shoot these animals. i have been chased within 30 days while dumping trash. 3 pit bulls 2 belong to my neighbor. they let them out when i am outside and they camp out in my backyard.I called north watch when I was attacked, but i got away and fell down in the process. they said since I did not get bit it was not a police matter. I did fall and I am 71. bruised my ribs and strained my hip. They did not even ask if I was hurt. This is the problem. I contacted animal control who did not respond