Roger Kirk died seven days after a violent pit bull attack in southwest Arkansas.
Horatio, AR - On April 3, we became aware of a violent pit bull mauling in southwest Arkansas that led to a man's death seven days later. The attack occurred on March 19, south of Horatio in Seiver County near the Little River Country Club, according to family members. Roger Glenn Kirk, 69 years old, of Horatio, was transported to University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) for emergency treatment, the only Level 1 trauma center for adults in the state of Arkansas.
His brother stated in a public Facebook post on March 20 that he was in stable condition after a three-hour surgery. Roger suffered severe trauma to both arms, according to his daughter. He was scheduled for another surgery on March 22. At that time, Roger could have no visitors, due to the trauma center's lockdown for COVID-19. "For the foreseeable future, no one can see him," states the post. Roger also had lacerations to his face and was undergoing the rabies vaccine.
On the morning of March 26, his brother posted a medical update. By this point, Roger had undergone multiple surgeries. His condition had worsened too, including doctors discovering a fistula, which is caused by complications in surgery or by injury, and he was moved to ICU. "He will not be discharged anytime soon," states the post. "If he doesn't improve quickly, they may have to place him in an LTACH, which is a long term acute care hospital," states the post.
By 2:20 pm that day, Roger's brother and son announced his passing. A friend of his brother, Christa, states in a post, "Roger Kirk passed away a short while ago from his injuries received in mid March from being attacked by a pit bull." In comments, Christa states the pit bull belonged to a neighbor. We wrote to the Seiver County Sheriff's Office on April 6, trying to gain confirmation of the attack date and dog breed involved, but they never responded to our information request.
According to Intelius.com, Roger Kirk of Horatio was 69 years old. Various Internet address tools indicate he lived off of Highway 41 South, about 3.7 miles from the Little River County Club. After his death, family members posted tributes to Facebook. His brother called him a "song writer and poet." Another said Roger has gone to "harmonica playing heaven." Roger had multiple Facebook pages. One states that his business, "Kirk Rocks," did custom stone design and landscaping.
Our hearts go out to his family members. One daughter wrote in her tribute, "Me and my sister said goodbye to him as he was taking his last breath, we sang Amazing Grace through the phone," indicating that family members were unable to be at his bedside. "He left his mark in so many ways and on so many hearts!" Like every family who loses a loved one right now, they must delay services, due to shelter-in-place orders and the difficulty, if not impossibility, of traveling.
We also wrote to The De Queen Bee newspaper, De Queen is the county seat of Seiver County, trying to gain confirmation of the attack and breed of dog involved. They never replied to us.
On March 19, Roger's son began asking for prayers for his father after the dog mauling.
Various photographs from family member tributes and Roger Kirk's own Facebook pages.
Recent medical study: Characteristics of Dog Bites in Arkansas, by Smith AM, Carlson J, Bartels AB, McLeod CB and Golinko MS, South Med J, 2018 Aug;111(8):494-500.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Arkansas Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
12/18/19: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Killed by Pack of Dogs in Broken Bow, Oklahoma
12/11/17: Retired Doctor Dies After Being Knocked to the Pavement by a Pit Bull in Arkansas
11/13/17: 2017 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Found Dead After Suspected Dog Attack in Arkansas
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.
Why would the media report severe dog maulings that necessitate admission to the hospital 40 times per day, 14,000 times per year, just in this country? Because then the public and all levels of government would be aware of the unpredictably dangerous animals in the living room (and on the streets) of our not so civilized society. Because if that happened, all levels of government would be under sufficient pressure to solve the problem at the back end, instead of the lucky few being required to frantically struggle to be successful in solving the problem individually at the front end. This is the sole primary reason that the media does not report dangerous dog maulings 40 times per day in this country.
Thank you Colleen for digging deep to bring us as much information as possible on these horrible and often suppressed fatal mailings. How unfortunate that the family could not be there with him during his hospital stay or at the end. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
Poor man. I am praying for his family. My mother died a few years back and that was traumatic. At least I was able to be with her at the end. I can’t imagine the sorrow of having to say goodbye over the phone. I don’t have any hope that things will change. It seems so plain to me that human lives are worth more than dog lives. Sadly that is not a popular opinion any more.
Any word if the murdering pit was put down?
Sounds like it lived long enough to attack someone else. The tribe of Moloch loves to talk about how “all dogs are individuals” yet when a dog proves that it is ill suited to be around people or other animals they stubbornly refuse to pass judgement on that dog. Then it becomes “there are no bad dogs”. They cease being individuals and become avatars for all that is good and holy. There are pits that are loving pets for years and then snap and maul someone, often to death. However there are many more that have been showing signs for years,killing animals, becoming hyper aggressive, even putting people in the hospital with attacks. Yet they are not put down until they kill someone. Sadly we are seeing cases like this where killing one person isn’t enough. Think how much less carnage there would be if these maulers were put down after the first attack?
More proof that if you have pits in your neighborhood you need to be armed at all times.
That is the truth and you have to watch out for their owners. In a facebook group I follow people are making threats against a man’s son because he fired warning shots at an at large pit that ruined his groceries and then started to attack his cat. Sadly the lady making the threats wasn’t even a pit owner. Just one of those hyper delusional “dog mom’s”.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240277562791489/1685089991643565/?comment_id=1685721991580365&reply_comment_id=1686410174844880¬if_id=1587218618130565¬if_t=group_comment_mention&ref=notif
I just will never understand why someone has a pitbull. Sure, there are plenty of them is our very sweet and intelligent. It is just beyond my comprehension taking the risk of having one of these dogs. I’m sure the neighbor – dogs trying to figure out how to cover their ass. If we ever get the excuses, I’m sure that will be the typical playing with the dog never had a history being aggressive.
That should say neighbor – dogs owner is trying…
Dmn it all. He looked like a cool dude. Damn few of them left. Rest in Peace and godspeed.
I REALLY MISS .MY FRIEND .WELL ITS LIKE THIS YOU BUY A DOG.ITS A RESPONSABILITY.BIG ARE SMALL.DOG ON ARE OFF Leash.INSIDE ARE OUTSIDE DOG.BUT YOU STEAL MY DOG WE WILL GO COURT.I DONT CARE IF YOU BOY FRIEND STOLED IT ON ONE SIDE DALLAS.AND GAVE IT TO YOU AS GIFT ON OTHER SIDE DALLAS..DOG NOWS ITS OWNER. BY VOICE.AND CARE ACT.ILL GO AS FAR IN COURTS TO PROTECT MY ANIMALS LIKE CHILD.NOW.MY GREAT DANE COST FEW $$. ATER EVEN SENDING HIM TO OBITIANCE CLASSES .THE TIME AND .MONEY.NOTHING WHEN THE FIRST TIME DOG BITE.ME TELEPHONE CITY DALLAS.COME GET MY DOG PUT HIM DOWN.NO MATTER.AT THE AGE OF 14.I COULD OF HANDLE PIT QUICK.NEVER KEEP A DOG EVEN IF HE BARLEY GETS TASTE BLOOD.OOOH NOOO.THAT PIT MUTALATED RODGER.TO TENDONS.LIKE STRINGS HIS ARMS.OH JESUS.RIGHT THAN I WOULD SHOT YOUR DOG.I GUESS IF RODGER WOULD BEEN INFANT.YOU WLD KEEP DOG.BECAUSE RODGER WAS AFTER BEING MAULD.EVEN DOVERMAN PINCHER WLD BEEN BETTERSERVICE DOG