Sam Sullivan, 56-years old, died after being attacked by a pack of dogs near a scrapyard.
Multiple Attacks
West Memphis, AR – A man died and a woman was seriously injured by a pack of dogs in two separate attacks in West Memphis. The first attack occurred on November 8. Officers found a man lying in a ditch covered in bite wounds around 1:00 am near a scrapyard in the 100 block of South 19th Street. Sam Sullivan was transported to a local hospital then transferred to Regional One Trauma Center, where he died of complications related to the dog attack on November 21.
Sullivan’s fiancé, Emma Willis, told WREG that “five dogs were on him for twenty minutes, and nobody would help him.” She described his injuries (presumably degloving injuries), as appearing as though “someone skinned him.” Willis added, she’d “never seen anything like that before.” The second attack occurred on November 16, also around 1:00 am. Police were called to the same location after reports that a woman was attacked by a pack of dogs while riding her bicycle.
The woman sustained severe injuries to her ankle, including portions missing, and bite wounds on her arm, according to police. She was also taken to Regional One Trauma Center. Her condition is unknown. A police report stated that animal control was contacted after the second attack, “but did not come to the scene at that time.” On November 29, nearly two weeks later, 14 dogs were taken into custody by animal control. Willis could not understand why the dogs weren’t seized sooner.
The dog pack, four adult dogs and 10 puppies, belong to a man residing at 121 South 19th Street, a property described in media reports as both an abandoned home and a scrapyard. Kerry Facello, Animal Service Director for West Memphis, said the dogs’ owner has been cooperative so far and claims the dogs were only protecting his property. Given the delayed seizure of the dogs -- 3 weeks after the first attack – it may not be possible to prove which dogs attacked Sullivan.
WMC published the police incident report that was written after the November 8 attack. According to the report, “Sullivan advised he was walking past 121 South 19th Street and was attacked by multiple dogs. I observed at the residence multiple dogs standing by the open gate of the residence.” Through dispatch, “animal control was contacted, and they advised a follow-up with the owner at 121 South 19th Street, will be conducted in the morning,” states the report.
Facello did investigate the first attack, which resulted in Sullivan’s death, but stated it was still unclear where the attack occurred. “If someone approaches or trespasses on that property and a dog bites, then it’s very difficult to blame that dog,” she said. Yet, Sullivan was found by police “lying in a puddle of water in a ditch,” which should be a public area. Certainly, the second victim, who was attacked while riding her bicycle down the street, involved an off-property attack.
One of the adult dogs seized from the scrapyard on South 19th Street in West Memphis.
Related articles:
07/12/17: 2017 Dog Bite Fatality: Pack of Dogs Fatally Attack Man in McCreary County
04/18/16: 2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Pack of Pit Bulls Kill Man in Jefferson County, Arkansas
It’s easy to suggest that the second victim on November 16, and her family, should be looking at a lawsuit against local authorities for doing nothing to protect the public after the first attack. But, of course, that kind of legal action is very difficult to succeed in because of sovereign immunity (there has to be a specific obligation to the person injured). Still, the public attention might motivate some attempt to hold those local authorities accountable for failing to do their job.
Have been following this story on line, how horrible!!! What in the world is wrong with animal control??? Will bet the shelter is no kill, and differs as many intakes as possible. My heart goes out to both families.
I’m not so sure those dogs are the culprit. The dogs in the photos are German shorthair pointers. I need more photos to tell if they are purebred or mixed with pit or something else. GSPs do not bite or nip, literally almost never.
Where do you see GSP?
I see brindle colored pit bull type dog mixes, or possibly even brindle colored mastiff type mixes.
They look to like pointer mixes to me also. It’s the shape of the muzzle.
However, it is true any dog breed can surprise you when they pack up. At the SPCA where I worked, we had two bird dog types on hold for attacking a kid. Another example is a sheep farmer acquaintance who had problems with local suburbanite migrants who would be shocked to find out that their lab was attacking sheep.
My standard poodle, CDX title holder, got out with her mother and sister, ran to Farmer Fitch’s place, and killed thirteen chickens. If I hadn’t seen them covered in feathers and blood I would never have believed it!
A German wire haired pointer killed a young child in 2018, Australia..
GWP is a totally different breed. It’s not like breeds with different coat lengths when it comes to pointers. GWPs also can be more vicious.
My sincere condolences to Emma Willis on the loss of her spirited fiancee, Mr. Sullivan. May you find comfort in your memory of shared happy times. Know that others care about you and your loss.
Or course it always the owner of multiple dogs that do the most killing it doesn’t matter if they’re pitbull german shepherd .if they do something about it then innocent people won’t died .all they do is give the owner a ticket.
It sounds as if they were trying to blame the first victim for being a Black man out late at night – as if he were up to no good and the dogs were “doing their job”. Blatant devaluation of human life.
It’s not legal to set up deadly boobie traps around one’s property so why is it ok to keep killer dogs?
Exactly trying to say ge was out & up to no good …the gate was open dogs came out attacked both individuals this is disheartening Prayers for both families
A couple of filthy mutts killed a 42 year old man in Australia today, he was reading an energy metre for the power company he worked for. No prizes for guessing what kind of dogs they looked like..the police released a statement of sympathy for the family of the dead man AND the owners of the dogs in the same sentence..SMH
Kerry Facello, Animal Service Director for West Memphis needs to get her head out of her…assets.
“Guarding”? Sure, next time their pitbulls eats the local girl scouts soliciting for cookies I’m sure that nonsense excuse will hold up.
14 Dogs? So he’s breeding fighting dogs and West Memphis needs to euthanize all of them.
“WWB” Walking While Black, applies here.
If that was “abandoned property” or even a public junkyard how can anyone be so stupid as to state, “The dogs were protecting HIS property”? It’s a common tactic for dog fighting kennels to shove their animals where they think nobody will look. Illegal greyhound racers do the same thing.
Anybody check the place for a moonshine still and some hydroponic pot plants while they were in there?
This isn’t some pitmommy gone wrong. This is a breeder and likely a dogfighter.
Hey, Facello? I don’t care *where* the dogs did it. The fact is, the owner is responsible for the dogs no matter where they are. If you leave the keys in your car you’re still responsible if a toddler climbs in, turns it on and runs over someone.
If someone is found with a bag of pot all their assets can be seized for “proceeds of crime” and even if it goes to trial and they’re found innocent, they may never get their stuff back. Yet Texas can’t seize pitbulls and euthanize them for being a danger to society even those those that specifically proved to be a danger to society?
I’m confused.
Wonder what this will cost in legal fees for AFF and all the other pitbull supporting agencies.
In 2 days it will be only 2 months after the mauling deaths of the Bennard toddler and her baby brother. Memphis Animal Control hauled the 2 vicious pitbulls off the Bennard property.
Now here are 2 other pitbull mauling attacks in Memphis. It sounds like the TV station reporting was probably the impetus for Memphis Animal Control to finally show up after the 2nd attack on a female bicyclist a few days ago. Our thanks to WREG-TV for pursuing the matter with Memphis Animal Control.
In the matters of Mr. Sullivan’s death and the severe injuries to the female bicyclist, that was eventually specifically handled by West Memphis Animal Control, per WREG-TV.
I can’t believe the sheer lack of empathy for Sam Sullivan. Even if he was on the property when the attack began, he wasn’t when it ended and nobody deserves to die in such a horrible manner all alone just for trespassing. “Can’t blame a dog for biting on property” but this wasn’t a mere bite by the description, it was a full-on mauling. I hate when they call injuries like that a “bite”. They can’t prove he was ever there in the first place without surveillance evidence, anyway, they’re just assuming.
Completely negligent that nothing was done about the dogs for so long by Animal Control, but sadly not surprised. The second victim, thankfully alive, I hope is able to have the support she needs for her injuries both physical and mental.
Catherine, I am guessing Mr. Sullivan was not on the junkyard property. The pitbulls saw movement, triggering their prey drive. So they probably escaped under the fence or through a rickety area discovered in their frenzy.
Both Mr. Sullivan and the woman bicyclist were found around 1 am. They could have been attacked hours earlier.
Mr. Sullivan may have been out for a walk due to sleeplessness. Maybe a smoke.
Many neighborhood bars are places of congeniality where patrons connect w locals.
We don’t know but those who follow news of these heinous attacks know the victims are often dragged from the initial attack site. At this point, I do not believe the attack site was on the junkyard occupant’s property.
Actually, I do not believe the attack site was on the junkyard occupant’s property AT ALL.
How would the attacking dogs drag a body off the property?! Somehow through a fence?
No, the dogs were either rampaging loose off the property. Or escaped from the ramshackle property in a frenzy. In both attacks.
More importantly WHY would attacking dogs conveniently drag the man’s body off the property?
“Oh Hey Bowzer let’s just drag this dude across the street to maul him in case our owner gets in trouble”
Are these people, serious? That’s what we’re expected to believe?
Even if he somehow managed to be on the property since when did trespassing become a capital crime and reason for death by mauling?
Animal control in this case should be 100% held liable for dereliction of duty and reckless negligence resulting in the mauling of the second victim. Maybe a few shotgun suits throwing in pitbull supporting agencies, animal control facilities and shelters that adopt these dogs out will force them to take the pitbull problem, seriously.
BTW, shotgun suits were why Protection Dog Handlers and private security companies, stopped working with dogs, here.
And yet another reading of this article gives Mr. Sullivan’s clear testimony after the mauling assault that the property gate was left open.
4 adult dogs and 10 puppies.
The video ends with newscasters noting discernment needs to take place what dogs actually attacked. That information likely came from Director Facello. These dogs are a pack, owned by the same guy.
When a grizzly bear attacks a human, the grizz is always or nearly always put down. The cubs are most often euthanized as well. Wildlife biologists know the cubs have been imprinted w the mother’s attack or kill. By the same token, all 14 of these junkyard dogs need to be euthanized immediately. 4 adults and 10 puppies. All a pack. Rehoming flaunts public safety.
Discernment?
That’s just another way of saying that we don’t give a [bleep] because we’re a dog promotional agency and how dare you say anything bad about these fur babies.
Property Gate Open doesn’t equal Now Dead Person Opened it And Trespassed then was Dragged Off Property by Pitbulls. It tends to equal that’s how the dogs got to him, to maul him outside the property.
It was the cops when they got there that said, if I’m not mistaken, “I observed at the residence multiple dogs standing by the open gate of the residence.” So the pitbulls probably slaughtered the poor fella then went home. Somehow I doubt they bothered with blood spatter analysis at the time.
My dog used to open the dog park gate all the time to get in and play with his buddies. He also used to climb the 4ft fence to get in–with one weak back leg. He sometimes would open his dog crate latch and I’d come home to find the door open with him sleeping inside.
Motivated dogs are smarter and more agile than we want to believe. Frenzied dogs are even more likely to find a way.
How did the dogs get out to maul the cyclist?
Agreed Nunzia.
Why risk loosing those puppies on the public? With ten of them, he was breeding and likely breeding fighting, and clearly an aggressive line of, pitbulls.
Better a quiet nap now than 10 miserable dog lives with at least half ending in a shelter by age 2 and Doggess knows how many maulings, possible deaths and overwhelmed owners in-between.
Obvious genetic aggression is obvious.
“Imprinting, in psychobiology, a form of learning in which a very young animal fixes its attention on the first object with which it has visual, auditory, or tactile experience and thereafter follows that object.”
Even birds like geese imprint. Grizzly bears are mammals. As are dogs. Even greater impression on behavior for the young since mammals are a higher form of life.
If an Animal Control director has any biology or zoology training, they would know about imprinting. Due to imprinting of the grizz cubs seeing their mother attack or kill, the cubs would then follow in this manner. Thus wildlife biologists are obliged to put down the cubs for public safety. Animal Control directors and staff should follow these basic zoology principles. And should acknowledge pack behavior in any form of attacks or kills. All in the pack should be put down. All dog young ones, puppies, should be put down.
Public safety MUST be the focus of Animal Control services across our nation. Otherwise, they are not following their mission.
https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2022/12/14/hampstead-woman-dies-after-dog-attack-in-pender-county/69727708007/