A man reportedly shot in the head was actually mauled to death by a pack of dogs, an Alabama sheriff told news outlets.
As reported by AL.com, Demarcus “Sam” McKenzie, 27, was found dead Saturday, July 29, at a home in Skipperville, according to Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum.
Ozark-Dale County E911 received a call about an “unresponsive” man at about 9:15 a.m. Deputies arrived at the scene to find McKenzie dead from what they thought was a gunshot wound. The condition of his body led them to believe that he had been shot, WTVY reported.
Surveillance Video Showed Victim Being Mauled by Five to Six Dogs
However, a review of surveillance video from the home showed he was mauled by “five to six dogs,” Bynum told the Dothan Eagle. Investigators believe McKenzie was leaving the home when one of the dogs got “aggressive” with him. He tried running away but was soon overpowered, the sheriff said.
“The video depicts the victim tripping near the base of the driveway as more dogs joined in on the attack,” Bynum said, according to the newspaper. “At one point five to six dogs are seen violently attacking and mauling the victim as he struggles to stand.”
McKenzie ‘Always Had a Smile on His Face’
Authorities didn’t say what breed the dogs were or to whom they belonged. McKenzie’s body was taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy, AL.com reported.
“Sam always had a smile on his face,” wrote one of his relatives on an online tribute wall posted in his memory. “Gone too soon,” commented another.
