ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A severe incident in Richmond Dale has left a community in shock and a German shepherd dead. The altercation allegedly initiated by a fight between two dogs has escalated into a criminal investigation.
According to a police report, deputies were dispatched to 558 Market Street on Saturday, following a call from the Ross County Dog Warden. The owners of a pit bull, Justin Pummell and Destiny Musser, claimed that their dog was attacked in their yard by a German shepherd owned by their neighbors, Danielle Montgomery and Devin Gee.
Pummell and Musser recounted hearing the noise of a dog fight and finding their pit bull locked in an altercation with the German shepherd. The fight became so intense that it reportedly compelled Musser to use a knife to separate the animals, severely injuring the German shepherd in the process.
When deputies arrived, Montgomery and Gee had already taken their dog to the vet for emergency treatment. The Dog Warden collected statements and indicated that further follow-ups would be conducted.
On Sunday, deputies were called back to Richmond Dale to further investigate the incident. There, Gee tragically reported that the German shepherd had died from injuries sustained during the altercation. Montgomery presented video footage allegedly capturing the incident. The footage raised questions about the sequence of events as reported by Pummell and Musser.
Contrary to the pit bull owners’ account, the video shows a figure approaching the German shepherd and attacking the dog without any apparent reason or provocation. The video also shows a second figure joining in the assault, even as the dog appeared to be trying to flee.
The police report does note that it’s uncertain whether a dog fight occurred off-camera prior to the attack shown in the video.
The Ross County Sheriff is now investigating the case further, while the community awaits answers to this deeply troubling incident.