Around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, Nov. 4, the Guymon Police Department responded to the 300 block of South James Street in response to a report of a citizen being attacked by vicious dogs. 

Upon arrival at the scene Lt. Jason Bond attempted to check on the victim, Zaw Han of Guymon, who had taken refuge in a passing motorist’s car. As the officer attempted to check on the victim’s welfare he was charged by a pit bull and shot and killed the attacking animal at the scene. Two other dogs were captured a short time later by Animal Control with the assistance of Guymon PD officers and Guymon School Police.

The victim, who was referred to the emergency room at the hospital for treatment, received several lacerations from bites to his arms and legs from the attack by the three dogs before he was able to escape with the aid of a passing motorist.

Dustin Parkhurst of Guymon was cited by Animal Control for six violations of Guymon Municipal Code for two of his dogs involvement in the attack including the one animal that was destroyed at the scene. Dylan Camp of Guymon was also charged with three violations for a dog he owned taking part in the attack. Both are set for court November 24th.

When asked about that attack Chief of Police Eddie Adamson said, “Vicious animals in the city are a serious safety concern and we have been trying to address it both from an enforcement standpoint as well as making the public aware of how dangerous it can be to have dogs on the loose here in Guymon. We don’t want anyone to get hurt and that is why we have told our officers that if they are confronted with a vicious animal to do whatever they need to do to protect themselves and the public and which includes doing just what Lt Bond did in this case and that is to kill the animal.”  

According to Guymon City Ordinance 4-122 (A) Any person may kill an animal in self defense or in defense of another when the animal without undue provocation, bites him or the other, or attacks, or attempts to bite or attack, him or the other in such a manner that an ordinarily prudent person would be led to believe that the person toward whom the efforts of the animal are directed is about to be bitten or otherwise physically harmed.

“We want everyone to be safe and that is why we need the dogs to be kept up and the owners to take care of them, but in cases when people don’t take care of their animals the ordinance allows anyone to kill an animal in self defense that is trying to bite them or attack them or another person.” Adamson said.