Police are checking out claims the dogs had actually been reported as roaming animals.
August 2, 2023, 8:15 AM ET
5 minutes read
Four big dogs have actually assaulted and killed a man in his 70’s in a morning “unprovoked” attack in the middle of the roadway that cops are calling “horrific.”
The occurrence took place at around 8:59 a.m. on Tuesday early morning when Ka‘ū patrol officers on Hawaii’s Big Island received a call and reacted to an animal problem in the 92-2000 block of Outrigger Drive in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates neighborhood, according to a declaration launched by the Hawaii Police Department.
While authorities are uncertain how the attack started, authorities had the ability to find a witness who reported “hearing a commotion outside his residence,” cops said. When the witness went to examine the sounds he was hearing outside his home, he said he “saw the victim being attacked in the roadway by four large dogs” prior to he had the ability to go after the dogs away and call cops and paramedics to the scene.
When officers got here, they found a man — approximated to be in his 70’s — lying unconscious in the middle of the roadway.
“The victim, believed to be a male in his 70s, was treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene and while being transported to the Kona Community Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries,” Hawaii Police Department said. “He was transported to the Ka‘ū Hospital for the official pronouncement of death.”
The dogs’ owners were not home at the time of the attack, cops said, however they have actually because been recognized and gotten in touch with by cops and detectives are now checking out claims that the dogs had actually formerly been reported as roaming animals.
“In the meantime, the owners have surrendered all four dogs and a litter of 10 puppies to the Hawai’i County Animal Control and Protection Agency,” Hawaii Police Department authorities said.
“There is currently no evidence that the victim provoked this horrific attack,” Hawai’i Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz said in a declaration following the attack. “This incident is a senseless tragedy that could have been avoided.”
Police are examining this occurrence as a Negligent Failure to Control a Dangerous Dog case and Hawaii law, which was most just recently modified simply in 2015, makes it a felony criminal offense if somebody stops working to take sensible steps to avoid an unprovoked dog attack leading to severe physical injury or death.
Investigators have actually categorized the case as a Class B Felony, which indicates that, if the dog owners are founded guilty, they might confront a $25,000 fine, 10 years in jail, restitution and/or the humane damage of the dogs included, cops said.
The victim’s identity is being kept up until positive recognition is made and the near relative is gotten in touch with and an autopsy will be performed to identify the specific cause of death, Hawaii Police Department said in their declaration to the general public.
Meanwhile, authorities are asking anybody with info concerning this occurrence please contact Area II Criminal Investigation Section Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 960-3118.
The examination is continuous.
