JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—A man was reportedly mauled to death by dogs in Eastside Friday evening after being dragged along a fence, authorities said.
The man, who police said was over 60, was walking along Jessie Street near Van Buren Street around 4 p.m. when the dog attack happened, an officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said. Nobody, including the dog's owner, was home at the time of the attack.
At this time, it's not clear what led the dogs to kill the man.
Animal Care and Protective Services officers showed up and led four Rottweiler-mixes from the home.
One by one, dogs from the home were loaded into an animal control van.
Lephus Felton, the dog's owner, says his dogs are Rottweiler, Shepherd and Chow mixes.
"I am sorry the guy got killed but he had to be antagonizing my dogs," said Felton. He said the hole in the fence in his backyard where the dogs may have gotten to the man wasn't very large.
"It's a little hole, so he had to have stuck his hand under it," Felton said. "My dogs ain't no vicious dogs; they are trained to protect this yard."
Police are consulting with the State Attorney's Office at this time to see if any charges will be brought against anyone in this man's death.
While an identification has been made, police are in the process of informing his next-of-kin.
This is a developing story. Stay with First Coast News for updates.