Most of the states listed as the most dangerous in the U.S. are in the south, according to FBI data.
Oliver Helbig/Getty ImagesA Beaumont man was severely injured after being attacked by two dogs on the south side of town.
Around 7:15 a.m. Thursday, Beaumont police found a 57-year-old-man at Sprott Park on the ground, being mauled by two pitbulls, according to a news release.
The man was bitten all over his body and suffered severe injuries, per the release. He was taken to a local hospital for surgery.
Beaumont police spokeswoman Haley Morrow said as of Thursday afternoon that the man was still hospitalized in serious but stable condition.
Morrow said when the officer got out of their patrol car, one of the two dogs charged at the officer, who fatally shot the dog.
"That sound of the gunshot made the other dog run off into the woods," Morrow said.
Police and animal control are still searching for the second dog.
“We’re still looking for it or seeing if anybody calls us in with any information,” Beaumont Animal Care Manager Matthew Fortenberry said.
Fortenberry said it's unknown whether the dogs' owners may face criminal charges at this point, because city animal control is still gathering information about the circumstances of the case and whether the dogs may have had a history of past violent behavior.
Fortenberry also said Beaumont Animal Care is working to confirm the owners' identity.
Once the second dog is located, Fortenberry said animal control plans to launch a dangerous dog investigation to determine whether the dog poses a future danger.
Fortenberry said the dog would be held at the shelter until that investigation's completed, and a decision on whether to put down the dog will depend on "all the different factors that can come into play."
Matt.Hollinshead@beaumontenterprise.com
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