A Texas man has been arrested after his seven dogs killed an elderly man to death in an unprovoked attack.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office said Freddy Garcia, 71, was walking to a store around 1:30 p.m. on July 18 when he was viciously mauled by the dogs, all determined to be pit bull mixes, in Fresno, a city just south of Houston. Garcia was airlifted to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
“Four dogs have been captured, but three dogs have yet to be located and are still on the loose. Sheriff’s deputies are on the lookout for the other three dogs,” Sheriff Eric Fagan said in a news release, before urging residents of Fresno to “remain vigilant when outdoors.”
Police initially believed the dogs were strays until an investigation determined Samuel Cartwright, 47, who lived near Garcia, is the owner of the dogs involved in the attack. He has been charged with attack by dog resulting in death, which is a second-degree felony in Texas.
Cartwright’s bond is set at $100,000, and if convicted, could face up to 20 years in prison.
“I can say this gentleman did nothing to provoke these animals, I can tell you that,” Fagan said at a press conference before Cartwright’s arrest. “He did nothing to provoke these animals. It was uncalled for, it was senseless. The dogs just attacked him for no reason.”
The case is still under investigation.
