A Dowagiac man enraged by a neighbor dog's incessant barking climbed into the yard with a butcher knife and engaged the animal in a life-and-death struggle around midnight Thursday, ultimately stabbing it to death.
The man, Frank Eugene Phipps, 42, was bitten 17 times by Diamond, a female German Shepherd mix. Diamond, who was chained in her yard, was stabbed "mulitple" times, said Dowagiac Police Chief Tom Atkinson.
Owner Tonya Bailey arrived home from work moments after the blood melee. Accompanied by her friend Tammy Martin, who held a flashlight, and Martin's 12-year old daughter Jania, Bailey discovered Diamond barely breathing and badly wounded.
"My neighbor said, 'Your dog attacked some guy. He's all bleeding and ate up.'" "I went out there (in the yard) and she flashed the flashlight and I saw just puddles of blood, just puddles. Diamond was laying down and growling, just bleeding and licking her leg. She was still on the chain and I called her but she wouldn't come."
At 12:42 a.m., Dowagiac officers were called to the 100 block of Maple Street on a report of an intoxicated man with a knife who'd broken into a house and was making threats, Atkinson said.
They arrived and found Phipps in the area, bleeding profusely from the arms and hands. They later found Diamond, and pieced the bizarre tale together.
According to witnesses, the man made statements about wanting to kill the dog earlier in the evening while at a friend's house. A short time later he left and witnesses saw the man fighting with the dog and stabbing the dog repeatedly with a knife ... He was unhappy about the dog barking and thought (Diamond) was dangerous, too.
Phipps was arrested on a charge of killing/torturing an animal - a four year felony - and illegal entry. He was scheduled to be arraigned following treatment at Lee Memorial Hospital for dog bites.
Bailey said Diamond was "a friendly, loveable dog .. but she also was a good protector. Strangers would come around and she'd let us know they were there."
Bailey said Phipps may have been harboring a grudge against the dog because Diamond nipped Phipps' brother on Memorial Day.
Cass County Animal Control Director Edward Porter said no complaints had been filed regarding Diamond, who was 1 year old and weighed about 60 pounds.
He said a little communication might have prevented this tragedy. References | Kalamazoo MI Gazette - Aug 28, 1999 |
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