Man Hurt, Dog Dead After Violent Encounter

YORK, S.C. – York Police were called to a home on Oklahoma Street Sunday morning, to help a man who was being attacked in his yard by two dogs. When officers arrived on scene, they say they saw two large brown pit bulls running around. They say a neighbor tried to approach the officers to speak, “But the two pit bulls chased her back inside the residence,” says Sgt. Det. Kevin Hoffman.

Then, the officer says one of the dogs turned toward him. He says the dog was barking and growling and got 5 or 6 feet away before the officer shot the dog in the face. Hoffman says, “The dog flipped backward, got up and ran back toward it’s homeowner’s house, along with the other dog.”

The officer found the 71-year-old man the dogs had attacked. Police say the man’s shirt was soaked in blood and that he had excessive damage to his arm. He was taken to Piedmont Medical Center and then transferred to CMC due to the seriousness of his injury.

Steven Shiles owns the dog that did not get shot. He says, “They never get out, somehow they managed to get the gate open.”

The dogs’ owners say they are family pets and have no history of violence.

The couple owns the dog that did get shot says the neighbor made physical contact with their dogs. “What happened yesterday was a freak accident. But there’s more to the story,” says Robert Miles. Leanne Shiles says, “It wasn’t really a freak accident. They were provoked.” Miles continues, “Yeah, they were provoked, I think seriously provoked and I wanna find out. I feel so sorry what happened to him but my dog is being put down today.”

That dog was euthanized Monday night. The dogs’ owners were cited for violating the leash law. Criminal charges are possible. Meantime, we checked, and the neighbor is in good condition at the hospital.