A 71-year-old woman sustained severe injuries in an assault by a large pack of dogs.
Authorities were called to a residence where Mary Norwood was discovered on the front porch with extensive cuts after an encounter with approximately 10 to 15 pit bull mixes on Saturday.
Onlookers managed to restrain the dogs before emergency services arrived.
Norwood received immediate medical attention from Monroe County EMS at the scene and was subsequently taken to the University of Tennessee Hospital for further treatment. Her current medical status is undisclosed.
MCSO Public Information Officer Sue Pettingill stated to WVLT that, “I’ve witnessed dog bites, I’ve seen dog assaults, but I’ve never witnessed anything of this magnitude.”
“She was entirely defenseless – there was nothing she could have done against that many dogs,” added Pettingill.
After an inquiry by Monroe County detectives and animal control officials in Madisonville, Tennessee, four individuals were apprehended and accused of numerous violations, including a Class E felony for allowing animals to cause serious harm by roaming freely.
The suspects — Clayton Warren Davis, 65; Sara June Burris, 44; Ricky Lee Burris, 57; and Sheila Jenene Kryzak, 54 — are facing a total of 12 charges for dogs lacking rabies vaccinations and 26 counts of animal mistreatment.
In total, 27 dogs were rescued from the property, consisting of 13 adult dogs, 13 puppies, and one dog that belonged to the victim.
Further accusations are pending. Ricky Burris, who is currently on medical leave, could potentially face charges related to owning a dangerous dog as a convicted felon and for failing to register as a sex offender.
Sara Burris is also confronting charges for possessing drug paraphernalia and attempting to smuggle contraband into a correctional facility.
Pettingill highlighted that this is not the first instance of dogs being taken from this