A 23-year-old student, Madison Riley Hull of Tyler, Texas, died after being mauled while caring for her three pit bulls. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responding to a call on November 21st found Hull lying in the backyard.
Upon arriving at the scene, one deputy fired his weapon into the yard, resulting in the death of one dog during an apparent attempt by them to counterattack before being shot down. The surviving dogs then fled the premises following their canine companion’s death, allowing deputies to safely carry Miss Hull away.
The two remaining pit bulls were subsequently ordered euthanized. Smith County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Larry Christian confirmed that investigators are considering criminal charges against the owners of the property where this occurred. “Obviously these people weren’t home at the time,” he said. “We don’t know the history, but we’ll consider whether to file charges.”
Hull, a student at the University of Texas at Tyler whose tragic death was noted by officials as being taken too soon, had been described by family and friends as loving life with an infectious free-spirit that brightened others’ days. Her mother, Jennifer Hubbell, memorialized her daughter in a GoFundMe appeal for assistance with funeral expenses.
Deputies were dispatched to Hull’s home following reports from a concerned neighbor who witnessed the initial attack unfold moments earlier.
