Woman Attacked and Killed by Pack of Dogs (Pit Bulls)

KUSA-TV (9News) ^ | November 30, 2003 | Paola Farer

[Unknowing]

ELBERT COUNTY – A 40-year-old woman was mauled by three Pit Bulls Sunday, according to the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office.

The victim has been identified by neighbors as Jennifer Brooke. She was flown to Swedish Medical Center, but died from her injuries.

Brooke’s husband went out looking for her when she didn’t return from feeding her horses, and he was attacked. He was able to get into his pickup and drive off.

Then, the dogs attacked a man on a neighboring property. That man called out for his 16-year-old son who came out of the house with a gun and shot the animals. Investigators say each of the dogs were between 70 and 90 pounds.

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Both men were treated at the hospital for bite wounds. The carcasses of the dogs will be shipped to the University of Colorado Medical Sciences Center where a necropsy will be performed. Investigators want to know if they had rabies.

Deputies have interviewed the dogs’ owners and haven’t said whether they will face charges.

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(Copyright 2003 by 9NEWS KUSA-TV. All Rights Reserved)

[Unknowing]

The son used a 12-Ga. shotgun to stop the three dogs, according to the TV news story.

[AgThorn]

Deputies have interviewed the dogs’ owners and haven’t said whether they will face charges.

One person dead, two others attacked and they "may" face charges? They need to be arrested and charged immediately for manslaughter.

[petuniasevan]

pit bull ping

[Unknowing]

Now the officials are saying that it's too early to decide about what kind of charges to bring, according to the news reports I've seen. The owner of the dogs has had problems with the law regarding the dogs in the past, according to public records. Neighbors have been afraid of the dogs, according to the news reports. It took five pistol shots plus at least two discharges of 12 Ga. birdshot to stop the dogs, and reports I've heard say the police had to actually shoot the beasts to death. The dogs were reportedly abused.

[AgThorn]

Now the officials are saying that it's too early to decide about what kind of charges to bring, according to the news reports I've seen. The owner of the dogs has had problems with the law regarding the dogs in the past, according to public records. Neighbors have been afraid of the dogs, according to the news reports. It took five pistol shots plus at least two discharges of 12 Ga. birdshot to stop the dogs, and reports I've heard say the police had to actually shoot the beasts to death. The dogs were reportedly abused. How about picking up the 'dog owners' on animal cruelty and then let the arresting officers take the rest of the day compiling all the other charges that they should be faced with, which would assuredly include manslaughter, reckless endangerment, etc. I just get angry when we let criminals "sit" while we figure out which bureaucratic route to follow ...

[Unknowing]

Yeah, I agree. The owner was criminal in her conduct if not her intent, by all accounts. At least to a preponderance of the evidence we've seen. Time to seat a jury especially just for her.

The arrogance of this woman seems reprehensible, I think, when I consider the fear which others have expressed regarding her beasts.

The county does have what they describe as a shortage of deputies. And, of course, the law enforcement priorities everywhere these days involve (1) the very serious business of traffic tickets; (2) the all-important War on Drugs--, er, I mean the all-important drug control policy, including the very reasonable fascination with automobile drivers' breath odor, and (3) court time testifying in cases involving both (1) and (2) above.

But the dog owner seems so cowardly in not facing the music regarding her conduct, as well.