A 61-year-old woman was fatally mauled by two dogs in an attack that occurred in West Tennessee in the wee hours of Monday. In the wake of the attack, authorities said a police officer shot one of the two dogs involved in the incident, USA TODAY reported.
The Bolivar Police Department in a statement said that officers responded to the scene of the attack to investigate a report of a woman spotted in the streets and bleeding. That was around 1:30 am, authorities said, though they did not provide details on why the victim Theresa Rhodes was at the location during that period.
But a GoFundMe set up to help raise funds for Rhodes’ family states that the 61-year-old was on her way to visit a friend when the dogs attacked her. The fundraiser also states that Rhodes did not survive the “brutal” attack “despite her brave efforts to defend herself.”
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Police and firefighters also said that Rhodes was in a critical condition when she was found, adding that the injuries she suffered from what was deemed to be a dog attack were “extensive.” Authorities also said they found two dogs not too far from where she was found.
Authorities said one of the dogs was shot and injured by an officer to enable them to render medical care to Rhodes. The dogs subsequently fled the area, and Rhodes later succumbed to her injuries in a hospital.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Bolivar Fire Department, Sara Rice, told USA TODAY that the two dogs were ultimately “captured without further incident and have been euthanized.” Rice also said that Rhodes did not own the dogs and the actual owner was yet to be identified.
“Theresa was not only a mother to two daughters whom she tragically lost to cancer, but also a loving grandmother, sister, aunt, niece, and cousin to many,” the GoFundMe states. “Her infectious smile and vibrant personality brought joy to everyone around her. She was the heart and soul of our family, and her loss has left us devastated.”
