Woman fatally mauled by 2 dogs in Tennessee neighborhood; police shoot 1 dog
A woman is dead after police say she was attacked and mauled by two dogs in West Tennessee − one shot and injured by a police officer, authorities say.
The fatal mauling took place early Monday morning in the city of Bolivar in Hardeman County, about 70 miles northeast of Memphis.
According to the Bolivar Police Department, officers responded to a report of a woman bleeding in the streets about 1:30 a.m. Authorities did not say what Rhodes was doing in the area early that morning.
Police and firefighters said they found the victim in critical condition suffering “extensive injuries” from an apparent dog attack, and found two dogs in the area near her.
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In order to administer treatment to the victim, officials said, one officer shot one of the dogs, injuring it.
The dogs then fled the scene.
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Victim was taken to hospital where she died
The victim, identified by police as Theresa Rhodes, was taken to a hospital where she died.
Her age and what caused the animals to attack the woman was not immediately known.
"Both dogs were captured without further incident and have been euthanized," Sara Rice, a spokesperson for the Bolivar Fire Department told USA TODAY Wednesday.
It was not immediately known who owned the dogs but, Rice said, Rhodes was not their owner.
Police say 2 dogs responsible for killing woman in Bolivar
On the police department's Facebook page, officers described one dog involved in the attack being grey and blue with features similar to a pit bull.
A picture posted by the department on the social media page of the other dog reportedly involved in the mauling shows a brown dog with a box face and floppy ears.
The case remained under investigation on Wednesday, Rice said.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dogs maul, kill woman in Bolivar, Tennessee
