ALABAMA -- A dog attacked a churchgoer Sunday morning in Roanoke's mill village.
According to the report from Roanoke Police Department, the incident happened about 9:50 a.m. as churchgoers were getting off the van in front of Faith Baptist. Three dogs were barking at the people, and one attacked Mikel Cullen Amerson Jr., 49, of Roanoke.
Amerson was treated with stitches at Wedowee Hospital's emergency room. The victim said he was trying to shoo the dogs away from the churchgoers when the white and tan pit bull bit his left hand and right leg, breaking the skin on his hand and tearing his pants leg and sock.
Another witness said the same dogs had approached the church members aggressively in the past.
After police arrived, the dogs were again observed running loose without supervision. When a police officer was out trying to find the identity of the owner, the white and tan pit bull tried to bite his leg.
He shot the dog in the upper body (because the head must be in tact for rabies testing). The dog ran off into the area behind Lowell United Methodist Church and has not been found.
Neighbors identified the owner as Lamont Ferrial Davis, 39, of 623 Commerce St. The officer said when he went to Davis's home, there was a small cat lying dead and torn apart in the yard.
Code enforcement officer Bill Ford said the veterinarian did later confirm that the dog had been vaccinated for rabies.
(The Randolph Leader - November 9, 2011)
