Police Shoot 'Aggressive' Dogs After Amazon Driver Found Dead on Property
On Monday evening, residents of a neighborhood in Wood Heights, Missouri, grew concerned after seeing an Amazon delivery van parked at a local property for several hours.
According to KMBC-TV, several people called the police to report the unusual sight, and when deputies with the Ray County Sheriff’s Office arrived at around 7:00 p.m., they found the delivery driver dead on the front lawn.
That wasn’t all they found, though — the authorities were greeted by two large dogs (an English mastiff and a German shepherd, according to The Guardian), which were described as “aggressive.”
While there was no way to immediately and definitively prove the dogs were responsible for the 50-year-old delivery driver’s death, the sheriff said it looked likely.
“We’re getting an autopsy tomorrow but can’t reveal the identity of the man at this time because family members who are not local to the area are still being notified,” Sheriff Scott Childers told the Daily Mail.
“At this time, the wounds on the victim are consistent with canine bites but the cause of death will be determined from tomorrow’s autopsy.”
Officials followed the dogs inside the home after seeing blood on the dog door and dispatched both animals.
The owners were not on the property at the time and have been cooperating with authorities.
“We have spoken to the owners of the property but more investigations need to take place,” Childers said. “We’ll be testing both dogs for rabies, checking the stomach for human remains.”
According to a Facebook post by Dana Wright with KMBZ-TV, the property was clearly marked with at least one warning sign regarding the dogs.
“[The owner] says a) The house sits pretty close to the street b) With neighbors on both sides and c) No one heard anything or anyone calling for help,” Wright wrote.
“The owners DID have a dog sitter coming by in their absence… and the property is fenced- and contains at least one sign that reads ‘Beware of Dog.'”
Amazon has also been in contact with the authorities, helping out after this sad turn of events.
“They’ve provided us with the route time, the check-in time and any notes about the house,” Childers said.
“We’re deeply saddened by tonight’s tragic incident involving a member of our Amazon family and will be providing support to the team and the driver’s loved ones,” Amazon said in a statement, according to KMBC.
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