A 22-year-old man from Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, died after being attacked by four dogs that he was caring for while their owners were out of town.
According to the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the attack happened on Thursday, April 13. A neighbor called the police and told the dispatcher that a man was screaming for help as he was being attacked by dogs.
Responding officers found the dogs in the middle of attacking the victim, identified as Dezmond Thomas Trawick, when they arrived at the scene. An officer fired a non-lethal round, which hit one of the dogs, made the other dogs flee, and stopped the attack.
Trawick was severely injured and was rushed to North Memorial Medical Center, where he received emergency medical treatment. However, he later succumbed to his injuries.
The Medical Examiner’s Office of Hennepin County performed an autopsy, confirming Trawick’s identity and declaring his death accidental. The coroner wrote that the dogs had attacked Trawick viciously, causing injuries all over his body and ripping off most of his clothing.
The police have not reported any previous incidents involving the dogs. The four dogs involved in the attack were of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. They did not live at the property where the attack occurred and were only there for the day, while Trawick was looking after them for a family member.
Police are investigating the incident and are in contact with the dogs’ owners, who could face criminal charges. The dogs are currently being held at Pets Under Police Security (PUPS), a facility used by police departments to house animals while they determine their fate. It is unclear whether the dogs will be euthanized.