‘They had him by his face’: Elderly Asian man mauled by two pit bulls in Texas

September 3, 2021

A 67-year-old Asian man in Harris County, Texas, suffered critical injuries after falling victim to two loose pit bulls that viciously attacked him during a morning walk last week.

What happened: The victim, who has not been identified, was strolling in the 4300 block of Queens Retreat Drive when the pair of pit bulls crossed the street to attack him. He tried to back away, but he was immediately helpless.

The attack, which was caught on surveillance video, occurred before 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 26. It took place in the front yard of Elmer Levigne, a former deputy of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Neighbor Darrell Berryman and another person came to the victim’s aid minutes after the attack. Berryman carried a long stick while the other person used a crutch to scare the canines off.
“I ran over here and saw two pit bulls. The man couldn’t move,” Berryman told KPRC 2. “They had him by his face…I told my granddaughter to call 911.”
Shortly after, Levigne came out of his house with a handgun. When the dogs started charging at him, he shot one of them on the shoulder. “I had to open fire. The dog wanted to attack us,” Levigne told KHOU 11.
Authorities, paramedics and animal control arrived on the scene minutes later. A deputy reportedly shot one of the dogs when it bit an animal control officer.

The aftermath: The victim, who sustained injuries to his face, neck, upper body and lower body, received two units of blood (roughly two pints) on the scene. He was then flown to a hospital, where he remains in recovery.

“I’ve had a lot of dog bites and maulings, but this is up there with some of the worst I’ve ever seen,” Zach Dunlap, critical care manager for Cypress Creek EMS, told KPRC 2. “The amount of blood loss that he had, everything had to go perfect.”
The pit bulls are reportedly alive. They are currently in animal control custody on a 10-day quarantine, after which their fates will be decided.
The dogs’ owner, on the other hand, was taken for questioning. He told KTRK that he had his pets behind an enclosure, but a friend may have accidentally left its gate open, which allowed them to escape.
As a result of the incident, the owner may face two third-degree felony charges, according to FOX 26. One charge is for the elderly Asian victim, while the other is for the animal control officer, who was also bitten.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office is expected to receive the case soon. If pursued, the charges will result in jail time.

Featured Image via KHOU 11

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