Pasco deputy shoots dog that attacked elderly man, teen

A pack of dogs attacked two people this morning, injuring an elderly man and a teenager. Now, their owner is apologizing to his Pasco County neighborhood.

Deputies said a pack of three adult and two puppy pit bulls were roaming the Shady Hills area early Thursday morning. A 15-year-old boy and an elderly man were attacked by the three adult dogs at separate locations.

The first call came just before 7 a.m., reporting a pack of dogs roaming in the area of Crews Lake Wilderness Park. The teenager was bitten on the leg, possibly as he was walking to school or waiting for a bus, deputies said. His injuries are considered to be minor.

However, the elderly victim has serious injuries, deputies said. His exact age was not provided.

A third person, a responding deputy, was nearly bitten, but he ended up shooting one of the adult dogs so he could tend to the victims. According to owner Keith Humphrey, 'Nala' was later euthanized.

The other adult dogs were taken by Animal Control and the puppies are back with Humphrey.  

Humphrey said he recently moved into the Lenway Road home and had secured the fence but apparently missed a spot. Clutching one of the puppies, he said he’s never had an issue with the dogs before and he questioned the choice to kill Nala.

"If you were being attacked, your pants would be ripped, or something would be ripped, wouldn’t it? He had no bite marks, he had no nothing. That gives him no right to shoot my dog," he told FOX 13.  

Video from the deputy's body-worn camera showed the elderly victim on the ground with the barking dogs around him. He later reveals bloody wounds to his legs and hand.

"Shoot 'em all!" the victim can be heard yelling in the video after the deputy fires on the lead dog. "Where the [expletive] did they come from?"

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Investigators have not determined if Humphrey will face any charges.

"I’ll just tell the neighbor I’m sorry. It’s an accident, everything. It could’ve been someone else. I’m just glad the kid’s OK," he added. 

Deputies initially reported that the dogs were bulldogs, but Humphrey said they are all pure-breed pit bulls.