An 81-year-old San Antonio man was pictured being beaten to death by a pack of dogs, including pit bulls.
Ramon Najera had been trying to protect his 74-year-old wife from the beasts when they broke loose from a yard on February 26, killing him.
But Abilene Moreno, whose husband Christian Alexander owned the dogs, claimed he was not responsible and had exercised care in raising the powerful breed.
However, she revealed the dogs had attacked people twice before and were confiscated by authorities before her children asked them to take them back.
“We came back and I saw the dogs behind the gate but they were covered in blood,” Moreno told local broadcaster KENS5.
“It’s traumatizing to see my dogs, which I’ve raised since they were puppies, do this to someone.”
Ramon Najera, 81, was fatally mauled by a pack of dogs after he got out of a car with his 74-year-old wife in San Antonio, Texas. She was one of three people to suffer nonfatal injuries in the attack
Abilene Moreno, the dog owner’s wife, said the couple were away when it happened but they were horrified
“We are sincerely sorry but my husband is not responsible,” Abilene Moreno said, claiming they did everything they could to stop the dogs – King, Snow and Legend – from escaping.
Her husband Christian, 31, has been charged with attacking a dangerous dog that killed and injured an elderly person, both crimes.
Moreno said she was trying to raise the money to get him released on bail — his bail was set at $125,000.
When the pair got home Friday afternoon, they saw their dogs were out of their harnesses and were told by first responders their dogs had attacked four people and killed one.
His wife described how the dogs could be a handful, that they had previously escaped, and that the family wanted to ride them.
The dogs had been involved in two attacks recently, one involving King and two involving Snow. Still, she said they weren’t raised to be aggressive.
“We never hit her, neglected her, never abused her,” she said.
After last month’s attacks, the dogs were temporarily confiscated by Animal Care Services.
Moreno claims she and her husband want the dogs back, but their children do. “I thought those dogs weren’t for us anymore,” she said.
The grandchildren of Najera and his wife Janie paid tribute to their grandfather and created a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses and medical bills for their grandmother’s injuries.
“A native of San Antonio, Ramon was a US Air Force veteran and an adventurous, outgoing and loving family man,” they wrote. “He was recently placed on dialysis but was determined to live life to the fullest despite his poor health.”
Carlos Gomez, Ramon’s stepson and Janie’s son, said on Facebook that his stepfather is a “strong man” who, despite his age, he would train to work as a security guard.
“He was getting ready to start his security job again, so they stopped at a seamstress. My stepfather had some work done on his uniform when they were viciously attacked by these dogs,” he wrote.
Firefighters were forced to use pickaxes and metal poles to fend off the wild animals
After more than one attack in recent months, the dogs have been temporarily confiscated by Animal Care Services. Moreno claims she and her husband (both pictured) wanted the dogs back, but their children did
Christian Alexander Moreno, 31, is arrested after his pet pit bulls beat an 81-year-old man to death near his home in San Antonio, Texas
The attack happened at the 2800 block of Depla Street, on the west side of town, where Najeras and his wife were visiting friends. As they got out of their car, the pair were attacked by two American Staffordshire Terriers who had fled their garden.
When the San Antonio Fire Department arrived at the scene around 1:45 p.m., “the dogs were still actively attacking the couple and attempting to intervene,” police said.
A rescue captain was bitten in the leg during the rescue attempt.
San Antonio Animal Care Services confirmed Saturday that the dogs involved in the incident will be euthanized. A third dog who was present but not involved will also be euthanized.
Firefighters arrived just after 1.45pm on Friday to witness what has been described as a “horrifying” scene in which the man was being dragged by the animals as emergency services attempted to intervene.
They were forced to use their pickaxes to get the dogs and loosen their grip. Two other people, including Najera’s wife, suffered nonfatal injuries with a bite to the hand.
“As they turned the corner, they could see a man being pulled by a dog. He was covered in blood before they got out of the truck,” San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said at the scene.
Firefighters can be seen holding their metal pickaxes to drive the animals away
Snow pictured with her puppies, 7 males and 2 females. Snow has been involved in two attacks in the past month, as well as in the fatal attack last week
San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said his employees were most likely traumatized by the gruesome scene
Responders are seen at the scene of a fatal dog attack that killed an 81-year-old man
“It’s not normal for us. Normally, we don’t have to defend patients from animals or ourselves. The firefighters were very heroic in this instance, using pickaxes and whistles against these pit bulls to try to get to the patients,” Hood said.
“Two people have been ill-treated with one confirmed fatality being treated and blood supplied at the scene, along with a woman in critical condition. Another person was bitten on the hand and also taken to the hospital.
“It was a horrific scene and a horrific experience for everyone involved, including the firefighters, who were essentially a rescue to save themselves,” Hood said.
A San Antonio firefighter who arrived at the scene was also bitten in the leg during the attack. Hood said the entire experience likely “scarred emotionally” the firefighters. “Nobody expects to go out and fight dogs in a situation like today,” he said.
Both women who were attacked were taken to University Hospital for treatment. A woman was in critical condition after the attack, but her current condition is unknown.
Shannon Wade Sims, the director of Animal Care Services in San Antonio, says the dogs are American Staffordshire dogs. ACS officers responded shortly thereafter and took all dogs involved and placed them in quarantine kennels where they will remain until further notice.