SAN ANTONIO – A community on the city’s Northeast Side was horrified by a gruesome dog attack almost a month ago, and on Monday, residents in that neighborhood mourned the loss of the 47-year-old man mauled in his backyard.
Paul Anthony Striegl Jr. was identified as the man attacked by two dogs on Sept. 5.
His roommate, Chuck Sutton, said he was the first to see everything happening.
“It was devastating to me. I can’t get that picture out of my head. And there were both dogs in my yard. They came under the fence and attacked my buddy right there in that chair,” said Sutton.
Before the incident that killed his friend, the trailer park’s new management passed new rules that specified no vicious dog breeds, according to Sutton.
Although he says they never encountered any problems with the two dogs involved in the attack, there could have been a way to prevent the tragedy.
“These fences are 50 years old. Nobody’s ever tried to repair them, mend them, tear them down or anything. When the new ownership of the mobile home park took control of this place, they knew that,” said Sutton.
Other neighbors and friends took the time to remember Striegl, who they say was a staple in that community.
“There are just no words for it. It’s just awful. You know, everybody’s friends here, and, you know, that makes it really tragic,” said CJ Johnson, a neighbor and friend.
“He was a good friend of mine. I used to go over there, spend a lot of time with him. He was an outside guy, you know,” said Martin Deosio, a neighbor and friend.
Deosio said he’s lived on Heidelberg Street since he was 10 years old. He says dogs on that street have always been a problem. There are always vicious dogs running up and down the road, and he said nobody does anything about it.
Deosio said dogs have also bitten him on that same block.
“I got bitten by one dog over there at the second house to your right, and I called it in, and the police said, there’s nothing we can do about it, you know, and so he left. He didn’t even write anything or give me a card or anything,” said Deosio.
Animal Care Services said it had at least seven calls involving other dogs on Heidelberg Street this year.
ACS and San Antonio police said Striegl was attacked by two American Staffordshire Terrier breeds, commonly known as pit bulls, that his neighbor owned.
Striegl was bitten on both arms and the stomach, causing serious injuries. He died at Brooke Army Medical Center on Sunday, almost a month after the attack.
SAPD and ACS issued the following statement:
“Our deepest condolences are with the Striegl family, and anyone affected by this tragedy.
“The dog that attacked Mr. Striegl was euthanized following an investigation by Animal Care Services. Three criminal citations against the owner remain to be prosecuted in municipal court. SAPD’s Homicide Unit also conducted a thorough investigation and no further criminal charges are expected.
“This tragic case highlights the importance of daily responsible pet ownership. We are asking local pet owners to do their part by checking fences and gates regularly and keeping them in good repair.”
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