2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Multiple Pit Bulls Kill Elderly Man in Kau, a District in Southern Hawaii County on the Big Island

Robert Northrop, 71, was killed by multiple large dogs in Kau, a district in southern Hawaii County.


Multiple Dogs Kill Man
Kau, HI - A man in his 70s is dead after being attacked by multiple dogs in a subdivision in Kau, the southernmost and largest district of Hawaii County on the island of Hawaii. On August 1, at about 9:00 am, Kau police officers were dispatched to the 92-2000 block of Outrigger Drive in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision after reports of an animal bite. Officers found a man lying unconscious in the roadway. A witness saw the dogs attacking the man and called 911.

The victim was treated at the scene by emergency responders, but while being transported to Kona Community Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. He was then transported to Kau Hospital for the official pronouncement of death, states a release by the Hawaii Police Department. "There is currently no evidence that the victim provoked this horrific attack. This incident is a senseless tragedy that could have been avoided," Hawaii Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz said in the release.

The dogs' owners were not home at the time; however, they have been identified and contacted by police. "Investigators are looking into claims that the dogs had previously been reported as stray animals," states the release. The owners have surrendered all four dogs and a litter of 10 puppies to the Hawaii County Animal Control and Protection Agency. "The victim's identity is being withheld until positive identification is made and the next of kin is contacted," states the release.

Police are investigating the attack under the felony dog attack statute that was passed in Hawaii County in 2022. The law was devised after three elderly people, two men and one woman, were viciously attacked by multiple dogs in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision in Puna in 2021. The female victim, 85-yeares old Dolores Oskins, suffered critical injuries and died afterward. Investigators have classified the recent fatal dog attack as a Class B felony under the statute.

"Police are investigating this incident as a Negligent Failure to Control a Dangerous Dog case. Hawai’i County Code section 4-4-32 was most recently revised in 2022 and makes it a felony crime if someone fails to take reasonable measures to prevent an unprovoked dog attack resulting in serious bodily injury or death. Investigators have classified the case as a Class B Felony. If convicted under this section, the dog owners could face up to a $25,000 fine, ten years in prison, restitution, and/or the humane destruction of the dogs involved." - Hawaii Police Department

Vicious dog attacks are more prominent in rural communities, "where erecting fences on large properties is a costly solution, and state regulations prohibit tethering dogs," reports KOHN. Currently, county code allows for the seizure of dangerous dogs after an attack, as well as the felony statute. In response to multiple attacks since 2021, including the death of Oskins, the county ceased contracting out animal control services and created a separate agency.

GoFundMe & Breeds Identified

Late Wednesday, the victim was identified as 71-year old Robert Northrop of Ocean View. His family has set up a GoFundMe that has raised over $6,000. His daughters described him as a man with "more lives than a cat, because he has survived catastrophic surfing accidents, construction accidents, car crashes, motorcycle crashes, and most recently last year -- an electric bike crash into the lava fields in HOVE that hospitalized him at Queen's Medical for 3 weeks."

"It is so tragic for him to finally meet his end in this way, especially as he is a lifelong animal lover and would frequently rescue strays."

Over the weekend, Big Island Now reported that all four adult dogs involved in the deadly attack were pit bulls (three were pit bull "mixes" and the other a purebred "Staffordshire bull terrier"). Those dogs and 10 puppies seized by animal control after the attack have since been euthanized. Also, the dogs' owners admitted to a police officer at the scene that they do not live at the residence were the dogs came from, and the dogs were left unattended on the property.

The owners now may face a felony under the Negligent Failure to Control a Dangerous Dog statue. If charged and convicted, they could face a fine of up to $25,000 or 10 years in prison. The owners left 14 dogs unattended. At least four of the dogs ran off the property and killed a man. “If the dogs had been secured in a fenced area or kennels, this would have been preventable,” said Hawaii County Councilwoman Michelle Galimba, who represents the Ocean View area.

The progress being made by Hawaii County, passing the felony dog attack law in 2022 and creating the Animal Control and Protection Agency, which has been operating since July 1, is substantial. However, the combined population of the districts of Kau and Puna (where Oskins was killed in 2021) is only 65,000-70,000. It's alarming to have two dog bite fatalities in such a small population size in a few year period. Both deaths also involved multiple pit bulls attacking.

dogs kill man in kau, hawaii county, big island

Robert Northrop was killed by a pack of pit bull-mixes in southern Hawaii County on August 1.

dogs kill man in kau, hawaii county, big island

The area where Robert “Bob” Northrop, 71, of Ocean View, was killed by multiple large dogs.

Related articles:
09/07/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Elderly Puna Woman Dies After Multi-Victim Dog Attack
10/16/20: 2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Infant Dies After Dog Attack in Schofield Barracks in Honolulu
08/12/16: 2016 Dog Bite Fatality: Homeless Man Killed by Pit Bull-Mixes Owned by Honolulu...


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.

2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Skipperville Man, 27, Killed by Dog Pack; Captured on Surveillance Camera

Skipperville man killed by dog pack
Demarcus “Sam” McKenzie II, 27, of Skipperville, was killed by a dog pack.

Man Killed by Dogs
Skipperville, AL - What began as a murder investigation on Saturday, turned into a fatal dog mauling, according to Sheriff Mason Bynum of the Dale County Sheriff's Office. Authorities initially thought that that 27-year old Demarcus “Sam” McKenzie II, of Skipperville, died due to a gunshot wound to the head. After obtaining a search warrant, and reviewing outside surveillance footage, however, McKenzie is seen leaving "the residence" when multiple dogs began attacking him.

Ozark-Dale County E911 received a call at approximately 9:15 am Saturday morning of an unresponsive man in the 5500 block of County Road 33 in the Skipperville, Ozark community, Sheriff Bynum said. When deputies arrived, they found McKenzie lying dead in the driveway. His body was turned over to the Dale County Coroner's Office and transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy. Ozark police assisted in the investigation.

"When investigators arrived and began processing the scene it initially appeared that the victim suffered a gunshot wound to his head. As investigators and a crime scene technician processed the victim and collected statements from witnesses there were some inconsistencies and a lack of physical evidence to support those initial thoughts." - Sheriff Mason Bynum, Dale County Sheriff’s Office

The attack began with one dog, then several more joined in, causing McKenzie to trip and fall at the end of his driveway. Up to six dogs are seen violently attacking McKenzie as he struggled to stand. "Late Saturday night, I met with the victim’s mother and family and provided them with our findings," Sheriff Bynum told media outlets. The Dale County Sheriff's Office will consult with the Dale County District Attorney's Office as the investigation progresses, Sheriff Bynum said.

This isn't the first time authorities suspected a homicide via gunshot injuries to the head, which turned out to be a fatal dog attack instead. The two other two victims were also African American men and were killed by the same dogs 2.5 months apart. In that case, in Mississippi, police did not connect the dots that both men discovered in nearby ditches were killed by dogs until after the second victim. That dog owner was eventually found guilty on two counts of manslaughter.

Discrepancies that currently exist include McKenzie's home. Some reports say he was exiting his home when the dogs attacked, and another report states he was "was exiting the residence" where he had been "present inside the home prior to the incident." It's also unknown who owns the dogs involved, and which witnesses provided inconsistent statements. Finally, there was also surveillance footage, which is relatively uncommon, especially for a home in a rural area.

Back in March, close to the 5500 block of County Road 33, a pack of three loose dogs broke into a fenced-in yard and "killed one of our cats, a possum, and my dad's two rabbits," according to Elizabeth Dobbs, who lives in or around Summerville Road, which is southwest of the fatal attack location. She also knows the victim and reposted a post 17 hours ago titled, #Justiceforsam. At that time, Dobbs and other local residents thought McKenzie had been shot and murdered.

Autopsy Results

On August 2, autopsy results confirmed that McKenzie was killed by dogs. The official cause of McKenzie's death of was "sharp force trauma" caused by the dogs, according to Sheriff Bynum. Authorities confiscated ten dogs on the property and euthanized them. "With cooperation from the homeowner, we did get an order from the courts, and the homeowner did consent to us taking possession of the dogs, and those dogs have already been euthanized," Sheriff Bynum said.

dog pack killed multiple animals four months before skipperville man killed by dogs

The loose, attacking dog pack in March includes at least one pit bull and a mixed-breed dog.

Map of Skipperville man killed by dog pack

The area of the fatal dog attack and where a dog pack killed multiple animals in March 2023.

Related articles:
03/01/23: 2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Dog Pack Kills 74-Year Old Man in Jefferson County, Alabama
01/20/23: 2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Public Health Employee Killed by Pack of Dogs in Alabama...


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.

2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bulls Kill Homeless Man at "Dirt World," a Transient Camp in Central Oregon

Dog Owner Indicted by Grand Jury on Multiple Felony Charges

pit bulls kill homeless man at dirt world
"Dirt World," a transient camp near Bend, where three pit bulls killed a homeless man.

Dog Owner Sentenced
UPDATE 12/29/23: Last week, Jessica Rae "Charity" McCleery, plead guilty to criminally negligent homicide and maintaining a dangerous dog in connection to the dog mauling death of 56-year old Joseph Keeton back in July. On Friday, McCleery was sentenced to an expected 3-year prison term. In exchange for the plea agreement, the second-degree manslaughter charge was dismissed. Had a plea agreement not been reached, an 8-day criminal trial was scheduled to begin on January 9, 2024.

McCleery admitted to leaving her three pit bull-mastiff mix dogs unattended and unleashed on the night of July 19 at the homeless encampment. She did this knowing her dogs had killed other animals and bitten three people so badly that they required hospitalization. One of Keeton's daughters, Kansas, said in a statement, "Our dad suffered far worse than Jessica’s punishment will be, and we feel that it is just." The three dogs involved, "D.J., Littlez and Precious," remain at BrightSide Animal Center.


09/16/23: Multiple Felony Charges
A Bend woman has been indicted on charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, both Class B felonies, in connection to the dog mauling death of 56-year old Joseph Keeton. Jessica Rae "Charity" McCleery, 38-years old, is accused of being reckless and criminally negligent after her three pit bull-mastiff mix dogs attacked Keeton "for a prolonged period of time," killing him, at a homeless encampment in the Juniper Ridge area near Bend on July 19, 2023.

A Deschutes County grand jury returned the indictment Friday morning, and a warrant was issued for McCleery's arrest that afternoon, reports the Bend Bulletin. Her bail has been proposed at $100,000, according to the warrant. As of Friday afternoon, McCleery was not listed in the Deschutes County Jail. Initially, police stated that McCleery could face a lower charge, a Class C felony under Oregon's dangerous dog attack statue. The charges on the indictment, however, are more serious.


07/28/23: Fundraiser for Burial
On Friday, KTVZ reported that family members of Joseph Taylor Keeton started a GoFundMe to help pay expenses for his funeral arrangements. "We will be using the funds to bury him, along with the ashes of his mother, in a very simple pine casket where he can be given back to Mother Earth," the fund organizer states. Keeton was mauled to death by up to three pit bull-mixes at a homeless encampment last week on the outskirts of Bend. So far, the fund has raised just over $10,000.

"In the early hours of July 19, 2023, our father was violently killed in a dog attack in a homeless encampment in Bend, Oregon. The savage nature of his death highlights the vulnerabilities that homeless people face, the inevitable fate of those that society has discarded as hopeless and incurable. What we fail to consider beyond our myopic lens is that these human beings are people, people with stories, families, and depth. Here is Joe Keeton’s story." - GoFundMe.com

The fund proceeds to tell Keeton's story, including that he was "a deeply creative artist, a cinephile, and a spiritual man." Joe was "charismatic, loved animals (the irony is not lost on us), and he could be incredibly empathetic and compassionate," states the fund. "He was also a fox, very good-looking, and almost pursued a modeling career." After struggling with drug abuse at an early age, he began attending church, where he met his future wife. They had three girls together.

In subsequent years, he injured his back and was prescribed Oxycontin. "He naturally became addicted, and within a year or two, he had abandoned his family in search of the relief that only opiates could provide," states the fund. That led to his Methamphetamine use. "He became a bottomless pit of pain for his father and mother, the latter of whom spent countless dollars on rehab centers that Joe weaved in and out of, and which we believe sent her to an early grave."

Despite his circumstances, Keeton was gracious, generous and enthusiastic. He also "held profound conversations and changed the minds of many people about homelessness," states the fund. "He gave people the clothes off his back, and shared what little food he had with others who were also hungry." His daughters describe him as a "problematic teenager, then a devoted father and husband and churchgoer, then a grad student making films, and finally, a wanderer."

They said the vicious dog attack is unforgivable, that he suffered gravely and that he was failed by societal systems. "The fact that our father met his end by the vicious attack of three pit bulls is unforgivable. He was mauled for a prolonged period of time. He suffered greatly. He was failed by so many systems (please take a moment to educate yourselves on the truth about pit bull breeding and ownership, mental illness, and drug addiction), as most homeless people are."

Later today, KTVZ will speak with his children and provide an update on his death investigation. We hope the justice system will not fail Keeton too. However, as followers of DogsBite know, only 20% of fatal dog maulings result in criminal charges. In 2021, after a cane corso breeder's dogs killed two homeless people 3.5 months apart, Cocke County sheriff's officials abandoned the case. The dogs' owner, Charles Owensby, had previously ordered one of his dogs to attack a man too.


07/20/23: Man Killed by Pit Bulls
Bend, OR - On Wednesday, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Joseph Taylor Keeton, 56-years old of Bend, sustained serious injuries in a dog attack and died. At about 1:15 am, deputies were dispatched to an "unknown problem" in a Juniper Ridge area known as “Dirt World.” Upon arrival, deputies discovered Keeton, who had lost a substantial amount of blood, had been attacked by animals. Deputies applied a tourniquet and began life-saving measures.

Bend Fire arrived at the scene and transported Keeton to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, where he later died. The initial investigation determined that up to three pit bull-mastiff mixes belonging to Jessica Rae "Charity" McCleery, 38-years old of Bend, inflicted the deadly attack. McCleery assisted officers in crating the offending dogs and is cooperating with the investigation. Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office detectives also responded to the scene to assist with the investigation.

Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Oregon
Male Succumbs to Injuries as a Result of Dog Attack in Transient Camp
Release Date: July 19, 2023
Victim: Joseph Taylor Keeton, 56-year-old male, Bend
Dog Owner: Jessica Rae Charity, 38-year-old female, Bend

On July 19, 2023, at approximately 1:15 am, deputies from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to an unknown problem in the area commonly referred to as “Dirt World”.

Upon arrival deputies discovered a male subject that appeared to have been attacked by an animal or animals. The male, later identified as Joseph Taylor Keeton, had lost a substantial amount of blood, deputies applied a tourniquet and began life saving measures employing CPR, and applying an AED.

Bend Fire/Paramedics arrived and transported Keeton to St. Charles, Bend.

During the course of the initial investigation, it was determined up to three Pitbull/Bull Mastiff mix dogs may have been responsible for the life-threatening injuries sustained by Keeton.

The owner of the three dogs, Jessica Rae Charity, assisted in crating the offending dogs and is cooperating with the investigation.
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office detectives responded to the scene to assist with the investigation.

Investigators were notified Keeton succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Photographs on Charity's Facebook page show multiple large pit bull-mixes. "Diesel," a male, is seen strengthening it jaws by hanging from a tree in "Dirt World" in 2020. "Confucius," a red nosed female went missing at the same time. "D.J.," a male, is seen in a video in March 2021, which depicts the dog inside of a car ready to attack a "statue" of a deer as Charity drives through the Sugarloaf Mt. Motel parking lot off Highway 97 in Bend. Charity states on the post, "What a statue will do to my dog!"

Authorities said Charity could face a charge of maintaining a dangerous dog (§ 609.098), a charge we have not previously seen used in the state of Oregon. If a dog kills a person under the statute, it is a Class C felony. A "dangerous dog" means, "without provocation and in an aggressive manner inflicts serious physical injury on a person or kills a person," and/or the keeper of a dog "with criminal negligence, fails to prevent the dog from engaging in an act described in subsection (1)."

609.098 Maintaining dangerous dog. (1) As used in this section, “dangerous dog” means a dog that:

(a) Without provocation and in an aggressive manner inflicts serious physical injury, as defined in ORS 161.015, on a person or kills a person;

(b) Acts as a potentially dangerous dog, as defined in ORS 609.035, after having previously committed an act as a potentially dangerous dog that resulted in the keeper being found to have violated ORS 609.095; or

(c) Is used as a weapon in the commission of a crime.

(2) A person commits the crime of maintaining a dangerous dog if the person is the keeper of a dog and the person, with criminal negligence, fails to prevent the dog from engaging in an act described in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Maintaining a dangerous dog is punishable as described in ORS 609.990. [2005 c.840 §2]

Note: 609.098 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 609 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.

The Bend Bulletin obtained more information about the attack from Deschutes County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Jason Wall. Keeton had been mauled for “a prolonged period of time,” Wall said. “This isn’t the case of five bites or 10 bites,” Wall said. “It’s bad.” The dogs “were not restrained in any way shape or form,” Wall said. “It’s horrible. I’ve been here over 16 years, and I cannot recall a dog attack that resulted in the death of an individual," Sgt. Wall told The Bulletin on Wednesday.

The Bulletin also discusses potential liability the county could face if it creates an authorized camping site in the Juniper Ridge area, or if it continues the status quo. Both scenarios pose "some level of risk and liability," Deschutes County Legal Counsel Dave Doyle said. In California, Sonoma County and Caltrans were recently ordered to pay nearly $1 million in damages to a Santa Rosa woman who was attacked by a serial pit bull biter on Caltrans property near a homeless encampment in 2019.

While a number of fatal dog mauling victims have been people experiencing homelessness, it is less common when these attack occur within an encampment area. Last year, a homeless man was killed by a dog near an encampment in South Austin. In 2019, Lasaro Macedo was killed by multiple pit bulls in a riverbed homeless community in Madera, California. The dogs owner, Heather Anglin, also a transient, was later charged with manslaughter in connection to his dog mauling death.

pit bulls kill homeless man at dirt world

Photographs of three adult pit bull-mixes at "Dirt World," a transient camp, on the dog owner's Facebook page in 2020. From left: Confucius (female), D.J. (male) and Diesel (male).

pit bulls kill homeless man dirt world

Charity's Facebook page shows that the victim, Joe Keeton, was one of her Facebook friends.

map iconView the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Oregon Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Related articles:
07/22/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Killed by Dogs in Cocke County; Second Fatal Attack...
02/22/20: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Mauled to Death by Vicious Pit Bulls in Madera, California


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.

Rescue Rottweiler Leaves Victim with "Uncontrollable Bleeding;" Police Lockdown Town's Recreation Center

rescue rottweiler uncontrollable bleeding
Rosendale Police rescue victim with "uncontrollable bleeding" after rottweiler attack.

Rescue Rottweiler Attacks
Rosendale, NY - On Tuesday, the Rosendale Police Department responded to a life-threatening dog attack on Madeline Lane, where a caller reported the dog was "ripping the arm off" the victim. "As a result of the nature of the attack and the proximity to the Rosendale Recreation Center, a lockdown of the Rec Center, including the summer camp was conducted," states the release. Responding officers were able to remove the rottweiler from the victim and secure the animal.

Rosendale Police Department

On July 11, 2023 the Rosendale Police Department responded to a reported serious dog attack on Madeline Lane in Rosendale, in which it was reported the dog was "ripping the arm off." As a result of the nature of the attack and the proximity to the Rosendale Recreation Center, a lockdown of the Rec Center, including the summer camp was conducted. Responding officers were able to separate the rottweiler dog from the victim and safely secure the animal. The victim received severe injuries and had uncontrollable bleeding at the time, which resulted in tourniquets being applied to prevent death. The victim was transported to Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital.

The Ulster County SPCA took custody of the dog and after an investigation including a review of past incidents involving the dog, the animal was euthanized. The dog had previously been a rescue animal.

The Town of Rosendale Police Department was assisted at the scene by the New York State Police, Ulster County SPCA, Ulster County Sheriff's Office, and Mobile Life Support Services.

The Ulster County SPCA, which acts as the Dog Control Officer (DCO) for the Town of Rosendale, took custody of the rottweiler. The SPCA left a comment on the Rosendale Police Department's press release stating that the "rescue" rottweiler was not adopted from their shelter. The SPCA designated the bite as a Level 5 Bite on the Ian Dunbar Scale -- a Level 6 Bite is death. A Level 5 Bite is "extremely dangerous and mutilates." The SPCA euthanized the "rescue" rottweiler.

However, the SPCA also claimed that "the origin of this dog (rescue/shelter) is not relevant to the behavior or the outcome, as each dog is an individual, and behavior is determined and expressed by a variety of influencing factors." Since the Ulster County SPCA did not assess this dog prior to its adoption, how could the SPCA verify any aspect of their claim? We predict that a civil lawsuit could result from this attack because actions of the origin rescue/shelter may indeed be relevant.

Ulster County SPCA -- Dog Control Officer

Although the Ulster County SPCA serves as the only Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) agency in the County, our response to this incident was in our capacity as the Dog Control Officer (DCO) for the Town of Rosendale. This dog had not been adopted from our shelter, but as the DCO, the dog was impounded to our custody and transported to our shelter. In accordance with the Dunbar Dog Bite Assessment, this was a Level 5 bite incident, defined as "multiple bites at Level 4 or above. A concerted, repeated attack." This level of bite additionally categorizes a dog as "unhealthy and untreatable," as this behavior is neither rehabilitative nor manageable. The resulting outcome is euthanasia. It is important that the public understands the objective methods used in determining euthanasia decisions. The origin of this dog (rescue/shelter) is not relevant to the behavior or the outcome, as each dog is an individual, and behavior is determined and expressed by a variety of influencing factors. These situations are emotional and difficult for all involved and, especially with social media, it can be easy to make assumptions and lay blame. We ask for compassion and thoughtfulness for those involved in this tragic incident. Thank you.

The age and gender of the victim were not disclosed. "Uncontrollable bleeding" and "ripping the arm off" of a victim can have different implications for a 35-year old male, versus and 65-year old male or female. Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie is a Level II trauma center. Victims with these types of injuries are typically taken to the nearest Level I trauma center or transported to a Level II and upon "being stabilized," the victim is flown to a Level I trauma center.

Related articles:
04/25/22: Lawsuit Against Texas No-Kill Shelter Alleges "Dog Laundering" After Dog Bites Child
08/23/21: Lawsuit Filed After Los Angeles Animal Services Failed to Disclose a Dog's Bite History
07/31/20: 2020 Edition: 125 Behavior Terms for Shelter Dogs Decoded that Mask Aggression