Police investigating the suspected murder of a man who died after being bitten by a German Shepherd in Wakefield have traced two key witnesses who tried to save his life.
Witnesses come forward
Detectives are continuing to question a 55-year-old man on suspicion of murder after an "out of control" dog bit a man on an isolated footpath following an altercation. The victim, also 55, is thought to have been attacked by a German Shepherd, which police seized after the incident.
Emergency workers rushed him to hospital and fought to save his life, but he later died from critical injuries. Police had issued a desperate appeal for witnesses to an "initial altercation" and said they were looking for a woman named Sophie who stopped to help the stricken victim.
Police today said they had located the two people who stopped to help the man. A warrant of further detention has been authorised for the suspect, who was arrested on suspicion of murder and being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place causing injury.
Detective's appeal
Det Chief Insp Michael Cox, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team at West Yorkshire Police, said: "The two people who stopped to assist and direct police have both come forward and given their accounts to us. I would like to thank them and others who have shared our appeal or come forward with information.
"We are aware of some inaccurate discussion online about the person we have in custody and would urge people to avoid speculation about those involved and what has taken place. If there is anyone else who was in the area at the time of this incident or anyone else who has information that could assist our enquiries, then I would ask them to please make contact with the investigation team.
"We are continuing to question the man who we have in custody, and our enquiries are continuing at a pace to understand the events leading up to this man’s death. We are also offering specialist support to the man’s family at this extremely distressing time."
Incident details
Police were called to the Calder Grove area of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, at around 1.30pm on Saturday. They closed the footpath as they carried out house-to-house enquiries in the vicinity of the dog attack.
The path is the former West Curve rail line, rarely used by walkers. A couple who had planned to walk the path said: "We like coming here because it is so quiet and secluded. We see the odd dog walker, occasionally, but often we see nobody at all."
They added that police tape was put up around the path, and a sole police car was sat in the adjacent lay-by yesterday. "There are hardly any houses around here and the path itself, especially at this time of year, is very leafy and secluded. I can imagine there will be very few people who saw what happened," the locals continued.
Local Danny Green, 23, said: "I was driving past yesterday afternoon and saw all the emergency vehicles. It’s terrible to learn that some bloke has died [after] a dog attack."
Police statement
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "An investigation has been launched into the death of a man following an altercation in the Calder Grove area of Wakefield. The man’s death is being investigated by the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team and detectives are making an appeal for any witnesses to come forward, particularly two people who stopped to assist the injured man.
"Police received calls from 1.36pm reporting an altercation that had taken place a short time earlier on the old trainline footpath off Blacker Lane during which a man had been bitten by a dog. The 55-year-old man was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died shortly after 7pm.
"A 55-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place causing injury and is currently in custody. A dog, which is understood to have been the one involved in this incident, has been seized by police."
