Elderly Texas Veteran Dies While Saving Wife From Pit Bull Attack
Police arrested a 31-year-old San Antonio resident named Christian Alexander Moreno after his pit bulls attacked and killed an 81-year-old veteran named Ramon Najera. Ramon and his wife, Juanita, were visiting a friend when two pit bulls who lived next door escaped from their yard and viciously attacked the couple.
Pit bulls attack an elderly couple, completely unprovoked
Reportedly, the dogs were not provoked. Ramon and Juanita were returning to their car after realizing the friend they came to visit was not home. The dogs attacked both of them, but Ramon gave his life protecting Juanita from serious injury and death.
On Facebook, Juanita’s son and Ramon’s stepson, Carlos Gomez, wrote a post about his stepfather’s bravery. Gomez wrote that Ramon “was trying to save my mom from being attacked,” adding, “he lost his life while saving my mom.” He then said that Ramon was “stronger than a few of us put together” and going through dialysis.
“I’m still trying to understand how this could happen,” he wrote, after noting that Ramon went to the house to make some adjustments to his work uniform. He then posted a link to a GoFundMe to cover funeral and medical expenses for Ramon and Juanita. There are already nearly $20,000 in donations with a $10,000 goal.
Footage from the attack is brutal and disturbing
A witness from the scene named Silvia Paola Hernandez took video footage of the brutal attack. The videos are making the rounds on social media, with many people reiterating the anti-pit bull rhetoric, which is very common online. Hernandez does not agree with those sentiments but does want to hold owners accountable for their pets.
WARNING: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC AND DISTURBING FOOTAGE
Another video shows EMTs fighting off the dogs with pipes and pick axes after arriving on the scene. In the video, three paramedics struggle to fight off one of the dogs that attacked Ramon. Another one of the dogs barks at them from further away.
“We usually don’t show up and have to defend patients from animals or ourselves,” said San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood. Additionally, an EMS captain suffered injuries on the scene. “Horrific scene, horrific for the people who experienced it and horrific for our firefighters that were part of this,” Hood added.
Authorities arrested the pit bulls’ owner and euthanized the dogs
Local police arrested Moreno, who now faces two felony charges. San Antonio PD confirmed they charged Moreno with Attack by Dangerous Dog Causing Death and Injury to an Elderly [Individual]. He is currently in custody with a combined bond of $125,000.
This latest incident is one of multiple incidents involving Moreno’s dogs. News 4 in San Antonio reported, “Moreno’s dogs have attacked two other individuals in the neighborhood before on two separate occasions. Animal Control Services has been called to report the dogs’ violent behavior multiple times in the past.”
News 4 cites a September 2021 incident, a November 2022 incident, and a January 2023 incident. All of them involved the same dogs. The state required Moreno to quarantine the dogs for a period of time before returning home. However, since none of the victims filed charges against Moreno, the dogs continued living on the property.
Moreno’s wife, Abilene, told News 4 she became increasingly “scared of the dogs since they were sterilized because they have been more aggressive.” She also noted they were fighting in the yard more often. Footage from the outlet shows Abilene explaining herself on camera while her daughter stands next to her.
