Police say officers encountered dogs actively attacking when they arrived and fired to stop the mauling.
TULLAHOMA, Tenn. — A 50-year-old man and his 3-month-old granddaughter were killed Wednesday afternoon when multiple dogs attacked inside a home on the 900 block of East Warren Street, authorities said. Officers who arrived around 3 p.m. confronted dogs mauling the infant and fired their weapons to stop the attack, according to officials.
Authorities said the case remains under active investigation as Tullahoma police, Coffee County sheriff’s investigators and the district attorney’s office gather statements, review body-worn camera video and coordinate with animal control. Police Chief Chase Sons confirmed the double fatality and said animal control seized several dogs from the property after one was shot at the scene. Officials said they are working to confirm the total number of animals involved, their ownership and any prior complaints linked to the address. The city said there is no ongoing threat to the public, but officers and first responders are receiving support due to the traumatic nature of the call.
The sequence unfolded quickly, investigators said. Dispatchers received reports shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday about a dog attack in the 900 block of East Warren Street. Responding officers found multiple dogs and an infant being mauled. Officers fired to stop the attack, then worked with paramedics to reach the victims. The man, identified by authorities as James Smith, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene. The infant, his granddaughter, also died. Investigators said preliminary information indicates the child was attacked first and the man was killed while trying to intervene. A neighbor said he heard sirens and saw a woman screaming in the street as emergency vehicles arrived. “It’s horrible,” the neighbor said. “We never imagined anything like this would happen here.”
Officials said several dogs were taken into custody by animal control after one animal charged officers and was shot. Investigators described the dogs as pit bull-type animals, though final identification and ownership records are still being verified. The district attorney for Tennessee’s 14th Judicial District called the scene “especially difficult and brutal” and asked for space for the family and the first responders processing what they witnessed. Police are checking whether any of the attacks happened after one or both victims had already died, reviewing veterinary records, and looking into whether the home had any history of dog-related calls. Authorities did not immediately release the names of the dog owners or say whether the animals had been licensed.
Residents on East Warren Street told reporters the block is typically quiet and that they had not previously seen law enforcement at the house for animal complaints. City officials posted that there was no broader threat to the public after the animals were contained. In Coffee County and elsewhere in Tennessee, deadly dog attacks are rare but have prompted local debates over breed-specific restrictions, enforcement of existing leash and confinement laws, and resources for animal control. The ongoing review will consider whether fencing, confinement or prior warnings were in place and whether any violations could have contributed to the attack, according to investigators familiar with the process.
Police said evidence technicians documented the scene and collected forensic samples Wednesday evening as detectives drafted search warrant affidavits for medical records and digital evidence. Animal control officers quarantined the seized dogs pending examinations by a veterinarian. Autopsies will be handled through the regional medical examiner’s office. The district attorney’s office said potential charges, if any, will depend on findings about ownership, prior knowledge of dangerous behavior, and compliance with local and state laws. Officials did not announce a timetable but said updates would be released after next-of-kin notifications and preliminary autopsy results.
As darkness fell, a small group of neighbors gathered behind police tape near East Warren Street, trading updates as cruisers idled and investigators moved in and out of the home. One resident left a stuffed toy near the walkway. “Our officers did everything they could in a matter of seconds,” Chief Sons said late Wednesday. “This is devastating for the family and for everyone who responded.” The city said counseling resources were being made available for first responders. A family acquaintance described Smith as a devoted grandfather and said the infant had recently reached the 3-month mark.
As of Thursday morning, police said the dogs remained in animal control custody and the home was secured while detectives awaited lab work and autopsy results. Investigators plan to release additional information after confirming ownership records and reviewing body-camera footage. The next formal update is expected after preliminary medical examiner findings.
Author note: Last updated December 4, 2025.