The Miami City Police confirmed the arrest of the owner of two pit bulls that attacked a runner and his pet in the Wynwood neighborhood, Miami, in a violent incident that was partially captured on video and left the victim hospitalized with facial fractures.
According to the police report cited by Telemundo 51, the incident occurred on July 15, when Evan Motlong, 30 years old, was out for an evening run with his dog Indie near Northwest 2nd Avenue and 22nd Street.
Suddenly, two unleashed pit bulls charged at him and his pet.
Motlong tried to protect Indie by positioning himself between the animals: "I grabbed one of the dogs, got in the middle, and pushed the other one away; they severely bit my arm," he stated.
After the initial attack, the situation worsened when Motlong told the owner, who was on the premises, that he would call the police.
According to the report, the owner responded by shouting "Get him!" which caused the animals to chase and bite the already injured young man again.
The individual was identified as Jonte Adrian Jack, 44 years old.
The confrontation escalated further when Jack allegedly pushed or struck Motlong, who fell backward, hit his head against the pavement, and lost consciousness.
Anonymous witnesses told detectives that they saw him strike the victim while they were unconscious on the ground, and that he also damaged their cellphone before leaving the scene with his dogs.
Motlong regained consciousness in the ambulance and was taken to a hospital, where he received treatment for facial fractures, a black eye, serious bite wounds on his arm, cuts, and bruises.
Her dog Indie suffered a broken paw and is currently recovering.
Several witnesses corroborated his account, and then Motlong identified the suspect in a photographic lineup.
When the agents located Jack on Saturday, he was holding the pit bulls aggressively, as if he were about to unleash them on the officers, before he was arrested.
The police also noted that the department had already recorded previous incidents involving him and his dogs.
Jack was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon—where dogs are considered the weapon—serious physical assault as a felony, aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer, resisting authority, and criminal damage.
He exercised his right to an attorney and refused to speak with the detectives.
Motlong noted that comments on social media indicated to him that he was not the first victim of this man: "The comments I've read in my story say that they have seen this guy do this to other people."
“People shouldn’t have to look over their shoulder wondering if a family member—essentially, a dog is a family member—will be attacked or potentially killed,” concluded Motlong, who hopes her story will prevent this from happening to someone else.
The case arises in a context of growing concern over dog attacks in South Florida.
In January 2024, two dogs attacked a man in a wheelchair in Florida City, causing injuries that required two surgeries.
In March of that same year, a woman suffered serious injuries while defending her puppy from a pitbull in West Palm Beach.
In response to this trend, Florida approved the Ley Pam Rock Act, effective from July 1, 2025, which establishes fines of up to $1,000 for owners of dangerous dogs, requires liability insurance of $100,000, and includes third-degree felony charges - with up to five years in prison - if the animal had already been declared dangerous and causes death or serious injuries.
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