Stapelton told police he was walking his Yorkshire Terrier on the back side of Memorial Park in Lebanon. When he saw two Boxers running at him, he picked up his terrier to keep it away from them.
It didn't work, and the two Boxers ripped the dog out of his hands. They then killed the terrier. The dog was found in the grass, "severely mauled."
The dogs then came after Stapleton. Cops said it looked like the dogs "chewed on the victim."
Lebanon Police Lieutenant Brent Wheat said he has never seen anything like it.
"Over the years I have handled a lot of dog bites, I would term this a dog attack," said Wheat. "It is definitely the worst one that I can remember in Memorial Park and probably one of the worst ones I have seen in my career."
Lt. Wheat said when he got to the park the dogs charged at him, that is when he pulled out his gun.
"I had to make a decision very quickly as they were coming for me," said Wheat. "It is unfortunate, I am a dog lover, I hate to do something like that, but we did not need more people getting bit. It had to happen."
Bryan Huntsman, the man who was supposed to be watching the dogs, was able to calm the second Boxer down. Huntsman said the dogs took off out of the owner's house on Grant Street earlier in the day. The dog that was shot and killed is being tested for rabies. The second dog is being quarantined at a veterinarian's office until a decision on the dog's future is made. Lt. Wheat said he has no doubt what that decision should be.
"For some reason, in these dog's minds they felt it was okay to do that and I have a hard time with leaving them out on the streets," said Lt. Wheat.
According to Lebanon Police, the owner of the dogs, Brian Lesser, told them the dogs were not current on their rabies vaccinations and have not been vaccinated for several years. Lesser has been charged with two counts of harboring a non-immunized dog.
(WSBT - March 27, 2012)
