(CNN) — A 71-year-old man was attacked to death by seven dogs while walking to a neighborhood store last Tuesday in Fresno, Texas, the police reported. Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office in a statement.
Freddy Garcia was walking to a store in his neighborhood in Fresno on July 18 when he was fatally attacked by the pack of dogs, the sheriff’s office said Friday.
Samuel Cartwright, 47, the owner of the seven dogs, was arrested and charged in connection with the killing, the sheriff’s office said. It’s unclear if Cartwright has an attorney at this time. CNN has contacted the district attorney’s office for more information.
“The seven dogs – which are a mix of pit bulls – were captured by sheriff’s deputies and Animal Control,” the sheriff’s office added.
Cartwright was booked into the county jail Thursday and charged with “dog attack resulting in death,” a second-degree felony. according to jail records. They are bail is set in US$ 100,000.
Before his arrest, CNN affiliate KTRK spoke with Cartwrightwho said the dogs do not belong to him and that he called animal control as soon as he saw them on his property.
“There are 20 dogs around here right now. If you drive down this back street, there will be 20 dogs running around loose,” he said. “People abandon them around here. The dogs go where they can find food.”
Garcia’s granddaughter, Ivon Fajardo, mourned her grandfather in the interview with KTRK.
“He was energetic. He was full of life. He liked to dance. He liked to sing. He was really happy,” Fajardo said in Spanish. “We got together on the weekends and enjoyed his company. Now that he’s not here, it’s not going to be the same.”
Sheriff Eric Fagan said at a news conference Tuesday that Garcia had done nothing to provoke the animals.
“He was walking down the street. He wasn’t in anyone’s yard, he was walking to the store when he was attacked,” she said. “He didn’t have anything in his hands. The dogs just attacked him for no reason and without any provocation.”
CNN’s Eric Levenson contributed to this report.