Woman killed in violent pit bull mauling, 2 others injured

One dog caught by Animal Control

HOUSTON – A pack of pit bulls attacked and killed one woman and injured two other people in southeast Houston, according to the Houston Police Department.

Police said the group was near the intersection of Leonora and Glen Prairie when three pit bulls attacked them around 2 a.m. Sunday.

Neighbors are on edge and said this tragic event was only a matter of time.

"You have a whole lot of feral pit bulls and dogs run around these bayous, and now look what happened in front of my home," said TD, a neighbor in the area.

Neighbors said they heard screaming, came outside and saw a woman lying in the street covered in blood.

Police have not identified the victim, but said she was in her mid 40s.

"When officers arrived they found a female laying on the ground with dog bites all over. At the same time there was another complainant that also had multiple dog bites on them," said Officer R. Lujan with the Houston Police Department.

The attack came just a few minutes after another woman was mauled nearby. That woman was taken to Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital for her injuries.

Neighbors believe the woman who was killed is homeless and was walking in the neighborhood with food in her hands when she was attacked.

A man who saw the woman being mauled tried to intervene but was also bitten by the dogs. He was treated at the scene.

Neighbors said this has become a big problem in the area.

"There is a lot of school kids that walk towards this middle school. Lots of people walk because they don't have cars and there have been some attacks," said Mary Doyle.

Reginal Shaw said he was attacked by the same dogs last week while walking on Leonora and has the scars to prove it.

"When they went for my throat I put my hand up to prevent it, and that is when they bite my up here and one grabbed me by my leg," said Shaw. "They got me on the ground and one bit my arm, legs. They really had me until I got help, somebody came along and helped me."

Shaw said he was lucky to get away with his life.

One of the surviving victims told police that they were attacked by two dogs running loose in the neighborhood.  Animal Control responded and was able to catch one of the dogs. 

Police said the owner of the dogs has not been identified at this time.

If you have any information about the dogs or this incident, please call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.