Family says woman killed in dog attack ‘fought until she couldn’t fight no more’

BOLIVAR, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) - A family is mourning after a 61-year-old woman was attacked and killed by two dogs while walking in a Tennessee neighborhood.

Theresa Rhodes, 61, was attacked and killed by two dogs early Monday morning in Bolivar. The victim’s sister, Shirley Callaway, says she will be missed, WMC reports.

“My sister was a mother, a grandmother, a friend. She was a real loving person,” Callaway said. “She walked through that area all the time. She knew the people over there.”

Family members say police told them Rhodes was walking down the street when she saw the dogs. She tried fighting them off with an object.

“My sister barely weighed 90-something pounds. She didn’t have no fight for them two dogs. They say she fought until she couldn’t fight no more,” Callaway said.

Police found Rhodes bloody near Sycamore and Mitchell streets. Callaway says officers trying to help her sister shot one of the dogs involved in the attack.

“They told us when they got to the scene that one of the dogs was still sitting there by her body, and when they went to try to assist her, he went at them. So, they shot the dog,” she said.

Police say Rhodes was taken to the hospital, where she later died. Callaway says she wishes her sister was still here, and this should have never happened.

“This could happen to anybody. It was unexpected to us, but, you know, you just got to be ready for anything,” she said.

Police say the dogs were captured, and one of them has been put down. The other is with animal control. It’s unclear if it will also be put down.

Rhodes’ family set up a GoFundMe to help pay for her final arrangements.

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