An Essex man died Tuesday afternoon after being attacked by a dog at a home on Brigham Hill Road, according to the Essex Police Department.
As reported by the Vermont Daily Chronicle, police said officers responded at about 3:20 p.m. March 10 to a report of an animal attack at a residence at 179 Brigham Hill Road in Essex, Vermont. Essex Rescue and the Essex Town Fire Department also responded.
When responders arrived, they found that an elderly male resident had been attacked by a dog that lived at the home. The man suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police identified the victim as Stephen G. Campbell, 76, of Essex.
Family members were inside the home at the time of the attack, including the dog's owner, who was able to stop the attack and secure the animal, police said. According to rabies vaccination records, the dog was described as a large male pit bull named Jack.
Detectives with the Essex Police Department and the Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The medical examiner's office will determine the official cause and manner of Campbell's death.
Police said the dog's owner voluntarily surrendered the animal to the town through the animal control officer. The dog was scheduled to be transferred to the Humane Society of Chittenden County on Wednesday and euthanized.
Pitbull Had Previously Attacked a Delivery Driver, Severely Injuring the Victim
Authorities said the dog had previously been the subject of a January hearing before the Essex Selectboard after attacking a delivery driver at the same residence. In that incident, the man suffered severe injuries and requested the hearing.
Because the earlier attack occurred on the dog owner's property, the case was handled under state law and local ordinance as a "potentially vicious dog" complaint. The Selectboard ordered several remedial measures, including confining the dog when non-residents were present, posting warning signs, obtaining training for the dog and its owner, and acquiring muzzle equipment.
Police said officers had conducted regular follow-ups with the owner since the ruling and believe the owner had complied with the Selectboard's orders. The investigation into Tuesday's fatal attack remains ongoing.
