A heroic act cost an Indianapolis Sheriff’s Office deputy her life on May 9.
Tamieka White defended her eight-year-old son from a vicious dog attack in Marion County.
Police officers arrived at White’s residence in the evening and discovered her lifeless body in the garage area. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Although her son suffered severe injuries, he is expected to fully recover.
When the police reached the house, they spotted several pitbull-type dogs and had to shoot one that was “actively aggressive.” Indianapolis Animal Care Services took away three live dogs, one dead dog, and a cat from the home.
Deputy White had served the Marion County Sheriff’s Office since 2007 with dedication, most recently in the Judicial Enforcement Division. Her colleagues remembered her fondly and local officials praised her bravery.
This incident is among several fatal dog attacks in the United States this year. In early May, a nine-month-old baby died in Iowa, with a 49-year-old woman severely injured. January witnessed the tragic loss of a seven-year-old girl in Louisiana and a young boy in Idaho. In February, an elderly man died in Texas, with three others injured. In March, a Pennsylvania woman succumbed to her injuries after being attacked by a neighbor’s dog.