Pit Bull Attack Man to Death in Albany
A tragic incident unfolded in Albany on Wednesday evening, October 9th, as a 59-year-old man was fatally attacked by a pack of dogs, primarily pit bulls.
On Wednesday, the Albany Police Department shared a statement on Facebook reporting that the incident occurred around 5:55 p.m. on the 500 block of Central Avenue.
In the statement, it was noted that officers responded to the scene after receiving reports of a man being mauled by dogs. Upon arrival, they witnessed the harrowing scene of the victim lying on the ground, being relentlessly attacked by the vicious animals. In an attempt to save the man’s life, one of the officers was forced to discharge their firearm, striking at least one of the dogs.
“Upon arrival, they observed the dogs fatally attacking the man, and in an attempt to stop the attack, one of the responding officers discharged his duty weapon, striking at least one dog,” the Albany Police Department shared.
Despite the officer’s intervention, the victim was tragically pronounced deceased at the scene. The victim’s name remained undisclosed “until proper notifications have been made,” the police said.
WRGB news outlet shared a blurred video of the incident on social media. According to the news outlet, the video was taken by a witness who heard the man crying for help. The blurred video shows the man helplessly lying on the floor with two muscular pit bulls attacking him.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, and the Albany Police Department is currently conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
On Thursday, Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins held a press conference providing updates on the fatal dog attack incident. He confirmed that the victim was a 59-year-old James Provost from Schenectady and that officers had found up to 8 or 9 dogs attacking him at the scene. The officer’s intervention resulted in the death of one adult male dog and the dispersal of the others.
In total, 24 dogs were rounded up at the scene, including 15 puppies. The dogs are believed to belong to a resident of Cohoes, although the individual’s identity has not been publicly released.
Eric Hawkins also confirmed that the property where Provost was mauled had been investigated in May following reports of drug activity. While five to seven dogs were seized at that time, they were not deemed vicious and were subsequently released.
Hawkins described the living conditions for the dogs as far from ideal, noting that they were not raised in a family-friendly environment. He added, “There are some very, very questionable activities going on at that place.”
The Albany County District Attorney’s Office is currently investigating the incident to determine if criminal charges are warranted. The prosecutor described the attack as “horrific” and noted that keeping that many animals in a location that violates city ordinances raises concerns, especially given the fatal outcome.
“We’re going to do everything we can to bring justice to this person who was viciously attacked,” he assured the community.
Although investigators are yet to determine why the victim, Provost, was at the property and whether he knew any of the residents, one commenter in the Albany Police Department Facebook statement claimed to have a “buddy at Albany PD,” who said the victim was a homeless man that tried to enter someone’s backyard and got attacked by a lot of pit bulls.
Animal Control and the Humane Society have taken custody of the confiscated dogs, and their future remains uncertain pending the outcome of the investigation.
Pit Bulls typically top the list of the most dangerous dog breeds. A study suggests that 68% of Pit Bulls have caused dog fatalities since 1982 with a record of 284 fatalities.
