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Neighbor shoots, kills pit bull after it attacks woman

Staff photo by JIM FARQUHAR

Patricia Thiel was attacked in the back yard of her home on Bonita Way South.

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By PETER BERNARD | WFLA
and STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2009

Updated: 09/17/2009 08:07 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - A pit bull attacked a woman in a backyard in south St. Petersburg on Thursday afternoon, prompting a neighbor to shoot and kill the canine, authorities said.

Joseph Wharton, who was summoned to the scene about 2:20 p.m. by his daughter and grabbed his 9 mm handgun, says he looked into the yard and saw the woman being mauled by the pit bull.

"I fired a warning round into the ground. The dog looked at me, went right back to chewing her," Wharton said.

He changed his position to get a better shot. "If I didn't take the shot, she was gonna die," he said.

Wharton ended up firing three shots. Two hit their mark. The 100-pound pit bull named Jake died.

The woman, Patricia Thiel, 39, was taken to Bayfront Medical Center after the attack on Bonita Way South, said Lt. Joel Granata of St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue.

Her left arm was severely damaged in the attack, with deep gashes to the bone, St. Petersburg police spokesman Bill Proffitt said. She also suffered injuries to her head, neck, right shoulder and arm.

Thiel lives at 2012 Bonita Way South with Robert Jacks, 53, who kept three dogs at the home, including Jake, police said.

Thiel was attacked by Jake when she walked into her backyard, according to a police report. The other two dogs did not participate in the attack.

Pinellas County Animal Services took one remaining dog from the home. The other, who jumped the fence, was missing.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

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