Posted on October 8, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Found Dead, Covered in Blood Inside Modesto Home, Two Pit Bulls Suspected

Investigators suspect the suspicious death of Dustin Bryan is a fatal pit bull mauling.

Man Found Dead
Modesto, CA - Police say a 21-year old man discovered dead and covered in blood inside a La Loma neighborhood home may have been mauled by one or both pit bulls living in the home. He was discovered about 7:00 am Tuesday by family members he was staying with at a home in the 100 block of Village Road. His death is being treated as "suspicious" until an autopsy is conducted and the cause of death is determined, said Sgt. Kalani Souza of the Modesto Police Department.

According to Souza, the family and the victim went to bed Monday night and investigators do not believe the victim left and returned at any point. Jacob Anderson, who lives at the home, said the victim (who is a family member) was sleeping on the couch. Anderson said he did not hear any noises of an attack and said the pit bulls "had never been aggressive in the past." As many pit bull owners have said before him, Anderson said a seizure could have caused the gruesome attack.

**Detectives Investigating Suspicious Death**

Preliminary investigation suggests the male may have been attacked by two pit bulls, which belong to the owner of the residence. The two dogs were placed into quarantine by the Modesto Police Department Animal Control Unit. The 21 year old male was visiting the residents of the home, and had stayed the night last night with their permission. The investigation is continuing, and Detectives are treating this investigation as a suspicious death. An autopsy has been scheduled with the Stanislaus County Coroner’s office in the coming days. - Modesto Police

Earlier this year, a 52-year old man was killed in the middle of the night by his pet pit bull of 10 years. Police suspected Homer Utterback suffered a seizure before the attack. This does not excuse the disproportionate response by the dog -- brutally killing its owner. Of the 500 dog bite fatalities we have recorded since 2005, pit bulls have been implicated in every fatal attack while the victim was actually, or purportedly, having a seizure, except for one case involving a rottweiler.

Other persons, most commonly the dog's owner, killed by a pit bull due to an alleged seizure include: Della Riley, 42-years old (Cleveland, OH, 2018); Jamie Owsley, 21-years old (Quincy, IL, 2017); Charles Hagerman, 44-years old (Chicago, IL, 2012); Tonia Parks, 39-years old (Rockford, IL, 2011); Kelli Chapman, 24-years old (Longville, LA, 2008); Brandon Coleman, 25-years old (Morgantown, WV, 2006); Lorinze Reddings, 42-years old (St. Louis, MO, 2005) and likely others.

Evening Updates

The man's sister identified the victim as Dustin Bryan on Facebook and to Fox 40 News. Sgt. Kalani Souza also reiterated the horrific scene: "It was horrific enough for our officers to call and treat this as a suspicious death. So investigators did respond to just ensure that what was going on." Stanislaus County Animal Services provided photographs of the pit bulls to the news outlet as well. Police believe "Beze," 13, and "Saxon," 5, attacked Bryan in the upper body, killing him.

Beze, at 13-years old, marks yet another senior pit bull involved in a fatal dog mauling. The culprit that killed Utterback was at least 10-years old.

During the rabies quarantine period, both pit bulls will be monitored for aggression, according to Stanislaus County Animal Services Executive Director Annette Patton. She also said the shelter was in "lockdown" mode. "The animals need to be separate from the public and they need to be quarantined for 10 days," Patton said. "So, we have a lockdown situation here at the shelter, which means it is locked behind closed doors so we don't put anybody at harm or at risk," Patton said.

Though police do not know how much interaction Bryan had with the dogs in the past, he had been a frequent visitor to the home on Village Road. Notably, by nightfall Tuesday, the Fox 40 footage shows that the couches and chairs that had been discarded outside of the home's front door earlier in the day had been removed. Bryan had been sleeping on a couch when he was discovered dead and covered in blood by family members at about 7:00 am Tuesday morning.

Disproportionate Response

The suspicious death of Bryan falls into a frequent pattern of pit bulls -- a disproportionate response due the selection for abnormal aggression (high arousal and aggressivitiy in a safe environment). As animal behaviorist Alexandra Semyonova stated in 2006, "The environments (the fighting pit, the baited bull) for which these behaviors were selected as an adaptive response are so extreme that in fact there is no appropriate context for these behaviors in normal life."

There are many fatal pit bull maulings that fall into this category, including the majority of fatal attacks by pit bulls. The pit bull breed appears disproportionately in fatal dog attacks due to this very trait. In addition to the disproportionate response by pit bulls in these cases, the lack of any identifiable trigger is why the pit bull breed is uniquely dangerous. Whether the victim suffered a nocturnal seizure is less relevant given that no identifiable trigger can proceed a violent attack.

Two family pit bulls, 13 and 5-years old, are suspected in the fatal dog attack of Dustin Bryan.

Furniture seen discarded outside of home where police suspect a man was killed by pit bulls.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: California Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Baseline reporting requirements:
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.

Posted on October 1, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: 3-Year Old Boy Killed by Two Family Rottweilers in Louisville, Kentucky

Steven Thornton III, 3, was killed by two family rottweilers in Louisville, Kentucky.

Clarifications & Questions
UPDATE 10/03/19: On Tuesday, a 3-year old boy was declared dead after being mauled by two family rottweilers. The coroner later identified the child as Steven Thornton III. On Wednesday, Lt. Emily McKinley, of the LMPD Homicide Unit, said the investigation showed the boy had gotten out of the house through an open bedroom window sometime during the overnight hours of October 1, while the rest of the family slept. Police have not said when the family discovered Steven.

It is only known that police were dispatched to the boy's home in the 4800 block of Brenda Drive just before 9:00 am Tuesday morning.

Louisville Metro Animal Services spokeswoman Teeya Barnes said the agency will not release a photograph of the dogs or provide comment "out of respect for the victim and the grieving family." However, many readers have been questioning whether the one dog seen taken from Steven's home even is a rottweiler. Thus, we are pointing out the difference between a poorly bred rottweiler and a rottweiler bred according to the strict breeding (International) FCI Standard.

Police have not stated when or where the family acquired the two dogs. Though Sylvia Turner and her sister Sherri, who live next door, told WDBR the rottweilers had not been at the home long. Coincidentally, the child's grieving uncle, Anthony Thornton, breeds rottweilers, AKA "The Rott's Den." Several years earlier, Thornton had been breeding pit bulls too, according to his Facebook page. The questions left unanswered by police and animal services further fuel this speculation.

10/01/19: Family Rottweilers Kill Boy
Louisville, KY - For the second time this year, Louisville Metro Police are investigating after a family dog killed a child. In May, 2-year old Isaiah Geiling was mauled to death by a family pit bull in the Chickasaw neighborhood. This morning, two family rottweilers killed a 3-year old boy in the Newburg neighborhood, about 15 miles away. The attack occurred about 9:00 am in the 4800 block of Brenda Drive, located in a subdivision behind Thomas Jefferson Middle School.

"It's a very devastating thing that's happened here, and obviously our prayers go out to the family of this child." - Dwight Mitchell, a spokesman for LMPD

"The dogs have been taken from the premises at this time. They were rottweilers," Dwight Mitchell, a spokesman for LMPD told WDRB. According to the 911 audio, the boy had fallen out of a window into his family's yard, where the two rottweilers attacked him, reports the Courier Journal. This same scenario has occurred in multiple fatal dog maulings in the past -- some of those cases resulted in criminal charges. Louisville Metro Animal Services took both rotttweilers into custody.

Neighbors said the family moved in about a year ago and the 3-year old boy, "Little Steven," was often seen playing in the front yard with his younger sister. The rottweilers, which were new to the home, were kept behind a fence. Neighbor Sylvia Turner said she saw the boy's mother shortly after police arrived at the home. "(She was saying) the dogs, the dogs killed my baby." No charges will be brought against anyone in connection with the boy's death, Mitchelle said later Tuesday.

Rottweiler Victims

Thus far this year, rottweilers have killed three children, including 2-year old Jaysiah Chavez in Fresno, California and 15-month old Kyna DeShane in Henderson, Nevada. A rottweiler-mix was also involved in the violent pack attack that took the life of 19-year old Adrieanna O'Shea in Knox County, Tennessee. Just yesterday in Coslada, Madrid, a "guard dog" rottweiler attacked its owner's face and throat, killing him. The man reportedly suffered "endless bites on his face."

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office later identified the boy as Steven Thornton III. The cause of death was "injuries consistent with dog attack."

The most common victims in fatal rottweiler attacks are young children. Between 1978 and 2018, rottweilers were involved in 117 deaths. 76% (89) where children ages 0-11. The majority of these children, 71% (63), were ages 0-4. There are only three other fatal rottweiler attacks documented in Kentucky, including two 3-year old boys (in 2001 and 1999) and a 53-year old grandmother in 1993 who was brutally killed while trying to save her 3-year old grandson from the rottweiler.

Residence where two family rottweilers killed a boy in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday morning.

One male, younger, rottweiler-mix is seen being taken by Louisville Metro Animal Services.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: U.S. Fatal Rottweiler Attacks By State

Posted on September 30, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Dies After Vicious Attack by Her Own Pit Bull in Hampton, Virginia

Morgan Crayton, 31-years old, died Monday after being attacked by her pit bull.

Pit Bull Kills Owner
Hampton, VA - A 31-year old woman has died after suffering life-threatening injuries inflicted by her own pit bull a day earlier. On Sunday at approximately 5:13 pm, emergency medical responders were dispatched to a home in the 100 block of Powhatan Parkway. Arriving officers discovered an injured female, who had been attacked by her own dog. "The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries," states a release issued by the Hampton Police Department.

On Monday, police identified the victim as 31-year old Morgan Crayton.

The preliminary investigation revealed that Crayton was in her backyard with multiple dogs when the attack occurred. The dog also attacked a 68-year old woman who tried to help Crayton. Her injuries were not life-threatening. "The attacking canine, a 92-pound pit bull, has been removed from the home and is now in the custody of Hampton Animal Control," states the news release. A different family dog had bitten Crayton one day earlier, but the injuries were minor, officials said.

Crayton's Facebook page shows a champagne-colored large male pit bull named "Chopper," likely an XL pit bull designer breed. Crayton also referred to Chopper as her daughter's "protector." Chopper injured himself in July, requiring ACL surgery, according to comments on a July 14 post. For a while at least, the dog used a wheelchair for stabilization purposes. A dog that appears to be a black Labrador is also pictured in the home. No other living dogs were located on her page.

In 2018, a female champagne XL pit bull named "Layla" savaged a little girl's face in Omaha leaving doctors and nurses "shaken" by her injuries. Layla was the offspring of a mating by ManMade Kennels. In 2017, an XXL pit bull was involved in the fatal mauling of Cecille Short in Oklahoma City. In 2014, marking the debut of these types of dogs, a massive male champagne XL pit bull from BMT Kennels killed 4-year old Mia DeRouen. Police called that dog a "monster."

According to a neighbor, Crayton and her partner had owned Chopper for nine months. Hampton police estimated the dog was about two years old. On July 22, about a week after Chopper injured himself, Crayton checked into the Riverside Regional Medical Center for a nasty dog bite injury to one of her arms. The biter is only referred to as a "he," as Crayton explains that she is "about to get stitches." In haunting foreshadowing, a friend says in response, "I'm glad it wasn't worse."

Owner-Directed Fatal Attacks

Crayton's death marks the sixth owner-directed attack, where the dog killed its owner, so far in 2019. Pit bulls have been involved in half of these fatalities. Other breeds include a pair of boxers killing their owner, Nancy Burgess-Dismuke, in South Carolina; a pair of coonhounds killing their owner, Arlene Renna, in New York, and a pair of dobermans killing their owner, Elaine Richman, in Texas. Women, ages 31 to 67, made up 83% (5 of 6) of victims in these owner-directed attacks.

Police clarified Monday there was a total of five dogs in the home Sunday. Four remain after hauling away the 92-pound attacker. That dog will be euthanized after a 10-day quarantine.

A champagne-colored pit bull named "Chopper," seen on Morgan Crayton's Facebook page.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Virginia Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Posted on September 30, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Dies After Vicious Dog Attack in Bennington, Oklahoma

Alan Bruce, 56-years old, died after a vicious dog attack in Bennington, Oklahoma.

Man Dies of Injuries
Bennington, OK - A man has died after enduring a vicious dog attack over the weekend. Three dogs savagely mauled Alan Bruce, 56, Saturday.1 He was transported to a hospital in Durant then airlifted to a hospital in Plano, Texas. In Saturday's version of this news article, Bennington Police Chief James Heil said that no criminal charges would be brought even though these same dogs had previously bitten two juveniles. Circumstances may have changed now that Bruce has died.

On October 1, KTEN updated their piece, including clarifying the third dog breed. The attacking dogs were two pit bulls and a pit bull-mix. Alan Bruce, 56, was brutally attacked by these dogs and later died. "He had severe trauma; bite marks to his trunk and head and arms with just massive trauma," Chief Heil said. "It was the most gruesome thing I've ever seen in 18 years of law enforcement." The dogs belong to Don (or Michael) Wright, who was an acquaintance of Bruce.

Case Background

It was reported late Saturday that a 56-year old man was in critical condition after being attacked by three dogs in a Bryan County neighborhood. The attack occurred earlier that afternoon, Bennington Police Chief James Heil said. Two pit bulls and a mixed-breed inflicted the attack and belong to a man who lives on Nail Street. When Heil and other officers arrived at the scene, the dogs charged them. Heil open fired on one pit bull, killing it, causing the other two dogs to flee.

EMS called a helicopter to airlift the victim to a hospital in Plano, Texas, but due to his unstable condition, he was instead transported by vehicle to AllianceHealth in Durant. He was later flown to the hospital in Plano in critical condition. Both surviving dogs were taken into custody. According to Heil, the owner of the dogs will not face criminal charges since the violent attack occurred on the owner's property. This was the third attack carried out by these dogs in less than one month.

"Whenever me and my other officer arrived on scene, it was gory, horrific. The worst I've ever seen." - Bennington Police Chief James Heil

Two juveniles were attacked by the same dogs, one just two days earlier. On Thursday, September 26, a boy was attacked by the dogs while walking home from school. Earlier in September, a girl was attacked by the dogs requiring treatment in an emergency room. The Town of Bennington is located in southwest Oklahoma and has a population of 358, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Bennington also lies within the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma region.

Bennington's municipal code defines a "vicious dog" as one that has "bitten, or attempted to bite, any person without undue provocation, or which attacks, or barks or growls at and acts as if it intends to attack or bite, or bites a person or persons, when not unduly provoked." Dogs are also not permitted to be at large, including not being "securely confined by a fence or other means on premises" or not under the control of the owner "whether on the owner's premises or not."

Any person may also kill a "vicious dog" in self-defense or in the defense of another, according to the code. No vicious dog designation process is defined in the code. Oklahoma state law has a criminal provision for the owner of an animal that kills a person. This penalty applies if the owner knew of the dogs' vicious propensities, the dog was "at large or not confined," and killed a person "who has taken all the precautions which the circumstances permitted, to avoid such animal."

21 Okl. St. Ann. § 717 - "If the owner of a mischievous animal, knowing its propensities, willfully suffers it to go at large, or keeps it without ordinary care, and such animal, while so at large or not confined, kills any human being who has taken all the precautions which the circumstances permitted, to avoid such animal, the owner is deemed guilty of manslaughter in the second degree."

Bennington said Monday that it will be up to the District Attorney if the dog's owner, Michael Wright, will face any charges. Meanwhile, the two remaining dogs are still with Wright.