by Mark Neuman

Inga Isakson told The B-Town Blog previously how she attempted to free Snaps, a Pit Bull, from the beating four young people were putting him through one sunny Sunday evening this past June north of SeaTac airport.

The oldest of the children, a girl who was 15-years old at the time, turned on Inga, hitting her repeatedly, then siccing the Pit Bull on her, as well as on another woman who came to Inga’s aid.

Inga attended the girl’s sentencing hearing this past October and addressed the court, speaking directly to the girl, who had subsequently reached her sixteenth birthday.

“At the sentencing I just stood and spoke from my heart,” Inga told us. “I told (the girl) I was beaten horribly as a child.

“When the girl was beating me it reminded me of  my childhood. It all came back to me.

“I told her in court that I come from a broken home. I had terrible stepdads, six of them. It (the girl’s actions) brought it all back to me. All that horror of being beaten.

“And (the girl) just fell apart in court. She just started sobbing and sobbing. She couldn’t stop crying. It was real, true crying.

"Snaps," the abused Pit Bull used in the attack last June.

“‘I think that your parents should be going to jail for this,’ I told her. I said ‘I wish they could go to jail for you. But you need to learn that what you did was wrong.’

“I said to her ‘I think there is a beautiful person in you. You just snapped that day. I’d like to be an advocate for you.’

“And then they had her talk. And she was crying so hard.”

Inga told us that the girl said in court that every night she would pray that Inga would forgive her, and that she knew what she did was terrible.

“She has been a kid raising herself. She was lost,” Inga said

The girl wrote a letter to Inga a few weeks after sentencing.

“I wrote her back and told her she is going to run into every kind of person (at the juvenile center) and to try to find her passion, and find people who could help her find the beautiful person that is inside her,” Inga said.

In her letter Inga told the girl “she’s going to be challenged every day and to try to hold up under it. I tried to give her advice and be friendly.

“I told her ‘to do what you’re supposed to do.’”

Inga shows the scars from the attack in her left arm.

The girl, in her letter to Inga, said she was embarrassed about what had happened and that she has been praying that she would be forgiven and that she still can’t believe that Inga was willing to forgive her.

“She wrote it with a pencil, a full page letter. I really liked her thinking. She obviously is a smart girl.”

The girl’s father spoke at the hearing.

Inga quoted him as saying: “I am (the girl’s) real father. I lost contact with her when she was six months old. I take as much responsibility as anybody in this courtroom as to why she is the way she is because I have been a completely absent father.

“I want to try to be with my daughter. I know it’s really late, but I want to see what I can do.”

“I hope that her dad does what he says he’s going to do,” Inga said. “Maybe he can go to her. I can’t imagine her going back to (her original) school after being in juvenile detention for a year. She’d just get taunted and torn apart.

“I want to know how the story goes for her.

“People have got to step up,” Inga Isakson told us. “Our communities are going downhill. But I believe if we all take a step to make our communities better, that’s all it takes. It’s just one step at a time.

And I’ll do it.”

Story and Photos by Mark Neuman

I sat down recently for an exclusive interview with one of the survivors of a beating and animal attack last summer in the SeaTac neighborhood.

The attack has made famous a Pit Bull named Snaps (read our previous coverage here), and resulted in a teenage girl being sentenced to over a year in jail.

To begin to understand what happened that June 21, a sunny Sunday evening, one must realize that Inga Isakson has been, informally, a rescuer of abused dogs for some time.

“In the past, I have offered to BUY dogs from people when it’s obvious they’ve been mistreating them,” Inga said over coffee in a Burien restaurant.

“I have rescued dogs for about ten years all by myself. I have taken many of the dogs to a halfway house in north Seattle where a kind and wonderful elderly gentleman takes care of them.

“June 21st was Father’s Day. It also happened to be the longest day of the year,” Inga said. “It was really hot and really light out. I was going to run my (two) dogs at around 6pm or so. I was in my car driving” southbound through the Sea-Tac area, north of the airport.

“I noticed movement to my right. All I could see were silhouettes behind a tree covered with ivy.”

The silhouettes, as it turned out, were those of a then 15-year old girl and three younger boys. The were kicking and beating a Pit Bull, about a year old.

“So I understood these kids were hiding. If I were an artist I would draw the silhouettes because the image is stuck in my mind,” Inga recollected. “These four silhouettes images were bent over. Eight fists and eight feet pounding and pummeling some living thing on the ground.

“And so I slowed down to get to the other side of the tree to see what was going on. I did not know if they were beating up a child or what.”

Inga pulled her car closer to the four young people.

"Snaps," the abused Pit Bull used in the attack last June.

“I realized it was a dog and I realized I needed to think fast. I did not want to seem to be challenging them. I knew they were doing something wrong.

“I rolled down the passenger side window about ten inches. The door was locked.

“I needed the dog to not be with them. I also knew there were four of them and one of me.

“I called out: ‘Are you kids okay?’ Really, I wanted to say something else. I did not want them to feel they were in a fight with me,” Inga told us. “The oldest, who was a young woman (fifteen years of age), came so close to my car window, she was in my space, that close.

“And it bothered me. I felt challenged, which I tried to avoid. I was trying to be nice.

“Her face was right in my window. She said ‘What do you want, bitch? This is none of your business. I can kill my dog if I want to.’

“She was screaming at me: ‘What are you, the cops?’

“‘I could be,’ I responded. ‘Would you like me to call them?’

“She reached in through my passenger window and unlocked my door. Oh boy!

“She just jumped in my car and grabbed me by my hair. Started ripping my hair out and screaming at me: ‘You bitch! You bitch! I wish you were dead!’

“I had my cell phone in my left hand. I extended my left arm away from her and tried to dial 9-1-1 with my left hand.

“She was yanking at me. My seat belt, which was still fastened, was kind of hanging me.

“But she saw the cell phone in my hand so she let go of my hair and grabbed the cell phone out of my hand.

“She had ripped a lot of the hair out of the right side of my head. She started hitting me on the right side of my head with my cell phone, while pulling my hair with her free hand.

“The attack  seemed to last two minutes. I was able to unfasten my seat belt and was able to elbow her with my right arm.”

Inga ran from her car and managed to get to middle of Des Moines Memorial Drive screaming “call 9-1-1! Call 9-1-1!” over and over.

Inga shows where Snaps bit her leg.

“I thought it (the attack) was over. Then she (the girl) ran around the back of my car and attacked me again.

“The girl kneed me. I put my hands up to cover my head.

“Meanwhile, my brain said there are cars stopped. Someone has GOT to help me!” Inga said.

“There were about seven cars, three or four stopped” in both the northbound and southbound lanes.

She estimated the attack in the street lasted seven minutes.

The people in the seven cars watched, apparently doing nothing to help her. This was in a residential area with houses set back from the road.

“I’ll never forget this one woman in a grey sedan, just her, no passengers in her car,” Inga recalled. “She was about in her mid-50’s with blondish or grey curly hair. She just sat there and watched and did nothing.

“She seemed embarrassed! Like a wimp! She could have honked her horn or driven slowly into the gang. She just sat there.

“I had my arms over my head to protect myself while the girl was hitting me on my head and I looked down to my left. And there was the dog, just looking up at me with his tongue hanging out, panting the way a dog does. It was like he had a smile on his face and he just wanted to play.

“The girl was yelling at me: ‘I wish you were dead!’

“The dog had a clear shot at my face. I thought ‘this dog could bite my face off.’

“Then one kid kicked the dog three times really hard until the dog bit me in the leg.

“I think the dog was just confused. He was just happy not to have all four beating on him.”

A red pick up truck appeared, driving along the shoulder. The driver got out.

Inga shows the scars from the attack in her left arm.

“A guy in his forties started yelling ‘The cops are here! The cops are here!’ He meant the cops were on their way, but that was enough to get the four kids running off along with the dog into a park.

“Then this wonderful lady drove up in a van, right at the time the kids ran away with the dog into the park,” Inga said.

“This lady (in the van) had such a look of conviction on her face. I saw that she was not going to let this happen. She was not going to let these kids get away.

“She took her van and drove it right across the park and into the woods. I didn’t see it, but she confronted the kids.

“She was not going to let them out of her sight. I was told later that this woman got out of her van. She said to the kids: ‘I won’t approach you, and don’t approach me. You’re not getting away with this.’”

Meanwhile the paramedics had arrived and were treating Inga. “I was kind of ‘shocky.’ My left arm was bleeding from the girl scratching me,” Inga said.

“I looked over, and here comes the woman (who had driven up in the van) walking towards us through the woods. She just kind of ‘appeared,’ and she was covered with blood.

Moments earlier, in the park, with the woman’s teenage daughter watching from inside the van, she, too, was attacked by the girl and the dog.

“I saw her and I said to the paramedics ‘Leave me! Go help her! I’m okay!

“That woman was my hero. That wonderful woman made the mistake of getting out of her van.

“She did the mother thing in the woods. She said ‘You kids stay right there.’ The girl jumped up and head butted her and broke her nose.

Inga: “I would do the same thing again. That group of kids could have killed somebody another time.”

“The kids all kicked and beat her and kicked the dog until he finally bit the woman’s arm bad, clear through to the bone.

“I called her later,” Inga said. “She has lots of family and support and wants to keep to herself. Her daughter was in the van and saw her mom beaten and attacked.

“I step up always,” Inga said. “I would do the same thing again. That group of kids could have killed somebody another time.”

Next: Inga speaks at the sentencing hearing and, later, corresponds with the girl.

"Snaps" now lives at the Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks.

Read Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Inga here.

The 16-year old Burien girl who was accused of using her pit bull Snaps “like a weapon” against two women in SeaTac on June 21st was sentenced to 14 months in a juvenile detention center Thursday morning (Oct. 22nd).

The suspect, who is not being named because she is underage, had trained her pit bull to attack, according to charging papers (read our June 22nd report here). She plead guilty last month to second-degree assault, third-degree assault and being a minor in possession of alcohol.

Thursday she apologized in court in front of the victims, saying she needed treatment for anger management and substance abuse.

Court documents (view/download PDF here) allege that the female suspect and a group of three White Center boys were found abusing the animal on June 21st before the two women were attacked by the dog. One, a 63-year old woman, was assaulted by the girl before being bit on the thigh and hand by the pit bull.

Another female victim, 41, was attacked by the dog while the girl assaulted her, punching her in the face and knocking her to the ground, according to King County sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart. She was severely mauled on both arms and required surgery at Harborview Medical Center.

Prosecutors did not file charges against the three boys.

As we previously reported, “Snaps,” the pit bull was seized by King County Animal Care and Control, and at one point was close to being euthanized, but was released in September and is now living peacefully at the Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks.

Here’s a Before and After pic of “Snaps” showing his current disposition at his new home:

You may remember “Snaps,” the pit bull that was used as a “weapon” by a Burien teen and her friends in an attack on two different women in SeaTac on June 21st (as we reported last week, the 16-year old female suspect plead “guilty,” and her sentencing will be Oct. 8th)

At one point, this dog was very close to being put down, as he was considered dangerous and not a candidate for rehabilitation. However, due to a huge outpouring of public sentiment, which included numerous Comments left on this blog, as well as phone calls, numerous online polls and emails sent directly to the King County Animal Shelter, “Snaps’” story has a happy ending – he has a new home at the Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks, where he will live out the remainder of his life.

So a story that began with human ignorance, abuse and downright cruelty seemingly is headed toward a happy ending for a poor, innocent animal – just take a look at the “before” and “after” photos below (on the left, Snaps in his cage at KCACC; on the right, his current state at the Olympic Animal Sanctuary):

Here’s a note from the folks at KCACC Exposed, a website devoted to “stopping the taxpayer-funded suffering of animals at the hands of King County Animal Care & Control”:

Betrayed and abused by his owner(s), authorities would’ve easily destroyed him but for the dedication of people who saw the the unfair treatment and judgment and quickly sprang into action. With them, a caring public who would not stand for another misunderstood and mislabeled animal being killed. For Snaps, his future looks bright. He has gone to Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks, Washington. Thank you to all the Snaps advocates who kept up with the story and spoke out. Please remember there are many more like him. They silently suffer and endure whatever humans choose to do with them.

Snaps … has been released to an animal sanctuary where he will be allowed to live out his life in peace. Steve Markwell, executive director of Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks, Washington, picked Snaps up from King County Animal Care and Control (KCACC) on Friday afternoon (Sept. 11th) and transported him to his new home.

By Saturday morning, Snaps was getting his first chance to stretch his legs in nearly three months, romping with Mr. Markwell in a sanctuary exercise yard. Snaps then took a ride in the cab of Mr. Markwell’s truck (with his head in Mr. Markwell’s lap) and shared an order of French Fries.

“Snaps is a sweet dog who has been through hell. He has likely been in fear most of his life, and his behavior has been a testament to all of his suffering,” said Mr. Markwell. Mr. Markwell adds that he believes the aggressive behavior Snaps reportedly demonstrated at KCACC came largely as a result of his lengthy confinement in a kennel.

Mr. Markwell says the reputation of Snaps as “vicious” has taken on “mythical proportions,” but “he’s really just a dog who’s been hurt, and deserves better.”

“He’s still learning to trust people again, but he’s not the most difficult dog I’ve worked with, and he’s not the most difficult dog at the Sanctuary. I believe Snaps will not only thrive in this environment, but that he will be an ambassador for misunderstood dogs everywhere,” he said.

The release of Snaps comes after a long battle with King County authorities, who had insisted on keeping the dog in inhumane conditions at KCACC from the time that he was involved in the June 21 incident. An informal, grassroots campaign to “Save Snaps” was launched after his owner, a 16-year-old Burien girl, was arrested for beating and kicking the dog until he participated in her assault on two Good Samaritans, who had stopped to try to save Snaps from abuse. Last week, the girl pleaded guilty to charges of assault and possession of alcohol – although she was never charged with animal cruelty.

Since the day that Snaps was seized from his owner, he has been kept in a tiny indoor kennel at the KCACC shelter in Kent, with no exercise, social contact, or fresh air. Soon after he was impounded, KCACC Exposed learned that KCACC Interim Manager Nancy McKenney had warned KCACC staff members that they were not to “make friends” with Snaps, telling compassionate staff members that they were not to visit Snaps, or give the dog anything more than the minimal level of care, such as food, water, and cage cleaning once a day. Only after KCACC Exposed wrote a letter protesting the conditions in which Snaps was being held did KCACC managers relent and allow the dog to have a bed and toys, but staff report that he still was never allowed to leave his kennel, except to be dragged at the end of an animal control catchpole.

Although Snaps has now been released from KCACC, other animals on long-term holds continue to be housed in similar conditions in the Kent shelter – albeit with far less public awareness of their plight.

During Snaps’s stay at KCACC, authorities claim he underwent two “independent behavior assessments,” from “outside experts” who reportedly determined that Snaps was dangerous and could not be rehabilitated. KCACC has refused to release either assessment, or identify the groups or individuals who performed the assessments, although KCACC Exposed has now filed a public disclosure request to obtain those records. However, KCACC staff have informed KCACC Exposed that the first assessment was by a regional rescue group with no expertise in abused dogs or behavior assessments, and that the representative of the group did not even go inside the kennel when performing the evaluation, but simply looked at Snaps through the fence.

Mr. Markwell, who was provided a copy of this assessment, confirms that the assessors “never even observed the dog outside of his kennel, and thus did not conduct a single test before determining that he was dangerous and recommending that he be killed.”

Mr. Markwell was not given a copy of the second assessment that was reportedly done on Snaps. However, KCACC Exposed has been told that the second group of evaluators asked that Snaps be released into their custody for a week, so that he could relax and be evaluated outside the stressful and terrifying environment of the KCACC shelter, but that Ms. McKenney refused that request.

KCACC staff members have reported that although Snaps clearly has issues resulting from his troubled past, he responded to treats, affection, and kindness while impounded at the shelter.

Nearly twelve weeks later, and following the guilty plea of Snaps’s former owner, KCACC and the prosecuting attorney’s office agreed to release the dog after relentless pressure from the public, local animal advocates, and members of the King County Council.

Of course, KCACC has been shameless in taking credit for Snaps’s happy ending, with Ms. McKenney going so far as to claim in a press release that “This is an example of the hard work our staff does to ensure that every animal has a chance.”

Ms. McKenney made this claim despite the fact that KCACC did nothing to facilitate the transfer of Snaps – in fact, it was KCACC Exposed Co-Chair Kim Sgro who contacted Olympic Animal Sanctuary and secured Mr. Markwell’s consent to take the dog. Meanwhile, KCACC staff and volunteers report that Ms. McKenney and other shelter leaders repeatedly complained about being told that they had to allow Snaps to be transferred, and insisted that the dog should be killed even if there was a sanctuary that was willing to take him.

In taking all the credit for itself, KCACC management ignores the real heroes of this story who should be recognized: You

KCACC, King County Executive Kurt Triplett, and the King County Council were bombarded with letters and phone calls from the public, as well as multiple public petitions with thousands of signatures, pointing out that Snaps was as much of a victim as the women he was forced to attack, and demanding that every effort be made to save him. Although KCACC answered these letters with dismissive boilerplate, others were listening. There is no question that the outpouring of compassion for Snaps got the attention of public officials, and caused them to take a careful look at his case. Once these officials learned more about Snaps, the abuse that he had suffered, and the neglect that he was continuing to endure, several compassionate public officials and their staff intervened on the dog’s behalf.

As Councilmember Kathy Lambert acknowledges, this happy ending occurred in large part because of the public’s involvement: “I would like to congratulate the research and advocacy of all the animal welfare supporters who contacted my office and the animal shelter on behalf of Snaps,” she says.

King County Council
As has become all too common, it was the King County Council that had to intervene to force KCACC to do the right thing. This time, it was the intervention of Councilmember Lambert that was critical. After KCACC Exposed co-chair Sgro contacted Olympic Animal Sanctuary, and the sanctuary agreed to take Snaps, Councilmember Lambert worked directly with King County Executive Kurt Triplett, and his advisor Noel Treat, to facilitate the transfer.

“This animal is a victim of abuse and did not deserve to be euthanized just because of the irresponsibility of his owner, if any other appropriate options are available,” says Councilmember Lambert, who was present at KCACC when Snaps was transferred in order to make sure that things proceeded smoothly. “It is unfortunate that people were injured before this dog could be rescued from abuse, and I hope that the women who were injured have a speedy and complete recovery. In the case of Snaps, I believe this is a positive outcome.”

Councilmember Lambert has earned a reputation for her compassion for the most vulnerable members of society – children who get lost in the system, and jail inmates who are mistreated in custody. We are delighted that she is now also working to protect animals who are abused, neglected, and forgotten. (Check back here soon for articles on Councilmember Lambert’s efforts to ensure that King County plans for pets during disasters, and her legislation to force KCACC to allow transfers of animals to local shelters and rescue groups.)

KCACC Staff Members
Too often, the KCACC staff is implicated in the failures of KCACC management and the obstructionist policies of the KCACC Guild. It becomes all too easy to forget that many of these staff members have their hearts in the right place, and are doing their best to help the animals caught in the failing shelter. Through this experience, it has again become clear that many staff members are compassionate, caring people. They did their best for Snaps even under orders not to give him any special care, showed clear affection and sympathy for the abused dog, and were overjoyed when they heard that he was going to be released to a sanctuary. Without their care, we’re sure that Snaps would have been in much worse shape when he was finally released. (How sad is it that we cannot name these staff members, because they would be in danger of retaliation from King County for their compassionate behavior?)

Steve Markwell, Olympic Animal Sanctuary
Mr. Markwell of Olympic Animal Sanctuary is the ultimate hero of this story. Very few sanctuaries or shelters are willing to take a dog that another shelter has decided should die. Sanctuaries and rescue groups all over the country were contacted about Snaps, by private citizens, KCACC Exposed, and county officials. None agreed to take the dog. When Best Friends Animal Society ultimately refused to take Snaps, Ms. Sgro contacted Olympic Animal Sanctuary, and was thrilled to finally receive a “yes.”

With the motto “We Save Dogs You’d Rather See Dead,” Olympic Animal Sanctuary focuses on dogs such as Snaps who are considered unadoptable by other shelters, including former fighting dogs, street dogs, and dogs that have attacked other animals or bitten people. These dogs are given lifetime care (with no possibility of adoption, due to safety concerns), along with exercise, affection, and freedom from fear and stress. Says the sanctuary website: “People made them monsters; Olympic Animal Sanctuary lets them be dogs again.”

Although Snaps will never have contact with the general public, he will get plenty of exercise, including a chance to enjoy a swimming pool. Most importantly, he will get a chance just to be a dog.

Mr. Markwell says that his goal with Snaps “is the same as it is for every dog at the Sanctuary – I want him to be healthy, happy, and safe.”
“Walking on a leash is a bonus. Not biting is a bonus. I’d like him to be able to play with other dogs, but we’ll have to wait and see how that goes,” says Mr. Markwell. “Truthfully, I’ve already reached my goal with Snaps, so everything we accomplish from here is gravy.”

Note: We will be visiting Snaps at Olympic Animal Sanctuary next week, and hope to return with more photos and videotape showing his progress. Please check back soon!

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Burien Girl Pleads Guilty To Using Pit Bull As A Weapon; Dog “Snaps” Will Be Released To Sanctuary
• UPDATE: 16-Year Old Burien Girl Pleads “Not Guilty” In Pit Bull
• An Update On “Snaps,” The Pit Bull Used In SeaTac Attack
• Pit Bull Used As A Weapon In Sunday Night SeaTac Attack Against Two Women

The 16-year old Burien girl who was accused of using her pit bull as a weapon in an attack on two women in SeaTac has plead guilty to charges of second-degree assault, third-degree assault and minor in possession of alcohol.

The suspect, who is not being named because she is underage, had trained “Snaps,” the pit bull (pictured at left), to attack, according to charging papers (read our June 22nd report here).

Her sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8th, and she faces between 15 to 36 weeks in juvenile confinement.

Court documents (view/download PDF here) allege that the female and a group of boys were found abusing the animal on June 21st before the two women were attacked by the dog.

“Snaps,” the pit bull used as a “weapon,” will not be put to sleep, and was scheduled to leave King County Animal Care and Control today (Fri. Sept. 11th) so he can live at the Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks, WA.

King County Animal Care and Control staff determined that, due to “Snaps” continued aggression towards people, he should not be placed with a foster or adoptive family as is often the outcome for other animals surrendered in criminal cases.

Two independent behavior assessments commissioned by King County from outside experts supported that determination and the recommendation that long term care in a sanctuary was the only option for the dog.

Olympic Animal Sanctuary, a non-profit animal welfare and rescue organization located in Forks, has agreed to take custody of the dog. It provides a place for the care and rehabilitation of dogs that are non-adoptable due to behavior such as fighting dogs, street dogs, feral dogs, wolf or coyote hybrids, and dogs that have killed other animals or bitten people. Staff take their time rehabilitating the animals to ensure the process is done correctly and to help the animals learn to get along with humans and each other while never being placed for adoption again.

The City of Forks does not require nor offer a kennel license; however, the Forks Police and Clallam County Sheriff’s Departments are in frequent contact with the Sanctuary and are very knowledgeable about the facility and the work being done there. King County Animal Care and Control has been in contact with the City of Forks Police Department to alert them to their new resident.

“The Olympic Animal Sanctuary will be a great place for Snaps to rest, heal, and learn to be a normal dog, even if he will never be truly safe for adoption,” said King County Animal Care and Control Manager Nancy McKenney.

The staff at King County Animal Care and Control cared for Snaps while the case of his former owner moved through the justice system.

“This is an example of the hard work our staff does to ensure that every animal has a chance,” said McKenney. “It’s one of the many reasons we only have a 20% euthanasia rate; one of the lowest in the country.”

King County Animal Care and Control extends its thanks to all the Snaps supporters who have e-mailed, called and offered to adopt the dog (several of whom rallied through this very blog).

“Experts agree that this dog is not a good fit for adoption but we encourage his supporters and others to consider bringing home one of the other adoptable pit bulls and pit bull mixes we have in our adoption kennels,” McKenney said.

Situations like the one with Snaps can be avoided through responsible pet ownership. If pet owners are having trouble managing their pet, they’re urged to consult a certified animal trainer.

For more information on responsible pet ownership, please visit the King County Animal Care and Control Pet Tips Page: http://www.kingcounty.gov/safety/AnimalServices/pettips.aspx.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• UPDATE: 16-Year Old Burien Girl Pleads “Not Guilty” In Pit Bull
• An Update On “Snaps,” The Pit Bull Used In SeaTac Attack
• Pit Bull Used As A Weapon In Sunday Night SeaTac Attack Against Two Women

7/8/09 UPDATE: The 16-year-old Burien girl accused of siccing her pit bull on two women in SeaTac June 21st pleaded “not guilty” Wednesday morning (July 8th) to several criminal charges. She was ordered to remain in custody until her trial. Due to her age, she remains unidentified.

7/7/09 UPDATE: According to the Seattle P-I, on Tuesday (July 7th) around 12:30pm, King County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested the 16-year old girl suspect at her Burien home. She was booked into the Youth Service Center on a no-bail felony assault warrant.

According to The Seattle Times, two counts of third-degree assault were filed Monday (July 6th) against a 16-year-old Burien girl who allegedly sicced a pit bull on two women in SeaTac.

The suspect, who is not being named because she is underage and is being charged in King County Juvenile Court, had trained “Snaps,” the pit bull (pictured at left), to attack, according to charging papers (read our June 22nd report here).

Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department said a warrant has been issued for the girl’s arrest, and that she is being sought by deputies. She is slated to be arraigned on July 14th.

Court documents (view/download PDF here) allege that the female and a group of boys were found abusing the animal on June 21st before the two women were attacked by the dog.

The Times also reports that three White Center boys, ages 11, 12 and 13, who were with the girl during the attacks will not face charges because the girl is believed to be responsible.

A 63-year-old woman says she saw four youths kicking the dog and pulled her car over to see if they were okay. The girl cursed at the woman and told her to butt out.

When the woman threatened to call 9-1-1, the female suspect leaned into the car, grabbed the woman’s hair and took her cellphone. The girl then beat the woman with her own phone, court papers said.

All this was witnessed by a 41 year-old Seattle woman, who followed the group to nearby North SeaTac Park. When the 15 year-old figured out they were followed, she walked up to the woman and head-butted her, then threw punches to her head and body.

Next the dog joined the fray and became increasing violent as the rest of the group egged the dog on. The woman suffered serious bite injuries, including wounds to her head and face, as well as serious gashes and puncture wounds to both arms. Her left forearm was flayed open and the bone could be seen.

Sheriff’s deputies arrived and found the four nearby, still with the dog. All were taken into custody without incident.

To read the full story, click here. To read the court documents, click here for a PDF file (warning: contains mature language).

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• An Update On “Snaps,” The Pit Bull Used In SeaTac Attack
• Pit Bull Used As A Weapon In Sunday Night SeaTac Attack Against Two Women

We’ve received a lot of comments from Readers wondering what the future might hold for “Snaps,” the Pit Bull used “as a weapon” in last Sunday’s SeaTac attack against two women.

We sent an email to Christine Lange, Communications Manager for the King County Department of Executive Services and Facilities Management Division, who replied with this update – basically the case is still under investigation, and the fate of Snaps, (who has been turned over to King County Animal Care & Control), which may be declared a “dangerous dog,” is still undecided:

Thank you for the opportunity to offer an update. We can share that the owner of the dog has surrendered the dog over to King County Animal Care and Control (KCACC). The case is a possible felony open investigation by the King County Sheriff’s Department and we may be required to care for the dog past its 10-day required quarantine period while the investigation continues.

KCACC always keeps public safety, the laws and animal welfare concerns foremost in our work and actions. The laws are such that when a dog causes such severe and multiple bites, it may be declared a “dangerous dog” and is subject to the local regulations regarding confinement, removal from the area, and/or possible euthanasia. At this point, we also do not know if the owners or the children of the owners spent time “training” the dog to attack or defend, so we would have to be careful and consider the safety of placing it with another family or organization.

We appreciate the concern members of the public have expressed on behalf of the dog, and we can always use the help of people who are passionate about helping animals. If anyone is interested in volunteering to be a foster parent to one of our adoptable animals, please visit our web site: www.kingcounty.gov/pets.

Christine Lange
Communications Manager

This is "Snaps," the pit bull used as a weapon by four kids in SeaTac. Photo courtesy King County Animal Care and Control.

According to the King County Sheriff’s Department, two women were attacked Sunday night (June 21st) by four young persons using a pit bull as a weapon.

The oldest suspect was a 15 year-old girl. The youngest was 11.

The incident began Sunday evening around 6:30pm in the 13300 block of Des Moines Memorial Drive in SeaTac (map below).

A 63 year-old Seattle woman stopped her car when she saw four kids repeatedly kicking a pit bull dog. She thought the group might need some assistance. However the oldest in the group, a 15 year-old girl, told the women to mind her own business, then tried to pull the woman from her car.

The woman got out the car and was immediately attacked by the girl who repeatedly punched her on the head and back with closed fists. One of the boys in the group ran over with the dog who began biting her. Eventually the four ran off with the dog.

The victim had bruises from the hitting and puncture wounds from the dog to her hand and thigh.

All this was witnessed by a 41 year-old Seattle woman, who followed the group to nearby North SeaTac Park. When the 15 year-old figured out they were followed, she walked up to the woman and head-butted her, then threw punches to her head and body.

Next the dog joined the fray and became increasing violent as the rest of the group egged the dog on. The woman suffered serious bite injuries, including wounds to her head and face, as well as serious gashes and puncture wounds to both arms. Her left forearm was flayed open and the bone could be seen.

Sheriff’s deputies arrived and found the four nearby, still with the dog. All were taken into custody without incident.

The 15 year-old girl was injured by the dog in the melee, and her foot was injured from repeatedly kicking one of the victims.

All four suspects were released to their parents, as the 15 year-old needed medical attention.

The suspects are 15, 13, 12, and 11 years old respectively. All are boys except for the 15 year-old.

Deputies turned the dog over to Animal Control.

Sheriff’s detectives will likely file felony assault charges against at least the 15 year-old.

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