Alabama Man Mauled to Death by Pack of Dogs: Sheriff

A man in Alabama has died after being attacked by a group of dogs.

Demarcus "Sam" McKenzie, 27, was found dead on July 29 in the driveway of a home in Skipperville by acquaintances. He was in such a bad condition that the responding police initially believed he had been shot.

Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum said in a statement that surveillance footage shows that McKenzie was attacked after leaving the house, attempting to run away from the dogs down the driveway.

"The victim began to run down the driveway as two to three more dogs joined in on the attack," he said in the statement, as reported by local news WTVY.

"At one point, five to six dogs are seen violently attacking and mauling the victim as he struggles to stand. After a few minutes, the dogs overpower the victim, and he appears to become incapacitated," Bynum added.

The owners of the dogs have not been named, and it is unclear if they will face charges.

Over 4 million people are bitten by dogs in the U.S. each year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. One in five dog bites requires medical attention, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Deaths from dog attacks are very uncommon, but still do occur occasionally, especially if the victim is a child: 33 people died on average each year from dog attacks in the U.S. between 1999 and 2020, according to the CDC.

The breed of the dogs involved in the attack in Alabama has not been released.

Larger breeds, especially pit bulls and Rottweilers, are often associated with dog attacks. Some have been banned in many countries, including the pit bull in the U.K. However, these breeds have been shown not to be any more inherently aggressive than others, just capable of causing more harm.

"Whilst we know that aggression has a genetic component, to say that a whole breed is dangerous is a very sweeping statement and doesn't really reflect all dogs," Lynda Taylor previously told Newsweek. She is a university lecturer on applied canine behavior from the Depend on Dogs website and the author of the book Fear in Dogs: Theories, Protocols and Solutions.

"In the U.K., breed-specific legislation has some serious flaws. It assumes that all dogs of a certain breed are dangerous and relies heavily on the 'nature' side of the nature versus nurture argument," Taylor said. "Sadly, the damage done by a very large dog such as an XL Bully can be devastating compared to a bite with the same intent from a much smaller dog. And because of this, those who choose to have them in their life must take responsibility for both their dog's safety and that of the general public."

Subsequent reports by WDHN television station said that 10 dogs have been euthanized in the wake of the attack.

"Although this does not make this event any less tragic, we hope this will allow the victim's family to continue to grieve with a sense of closure. Late Saturday night, I met with the victim's mother and family and provided them with our findings. We will continue with the investigative process and consult with Dale County District Attorney Kirke Adams on what steps to take as we move forward," Bynum said.

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