A dog may be man’s best friend, but sometimes animals turn unexpectedly. On December 3, 2025, James Alexander Smith was at his home in Tullahoma, Tennessee, when his pit bull dogs apparently began to attack. Smith reportedly tried to keep the dogs off himself and his 3-month-old granddaughter but could not control them. Emergency responders arrived, but it was too late. Smith and the baby both died in the savage attack.
Police had to shoot and kill the dogs just to get them to stop. Smith’s neighbors claimed the dogs had attacked other animals in the neighborhood before but never people. Now, just weeks before Christmas, the family must say goodbye to an innocent baby and the man who lost his life trying to save her.
The Tullahoma Police Department shared a news release outlining the tragic case. Officers arrived at the home about 3 p.m. December 3. When they got inside, they found the dogs “actively mauling the infant.” Police shot and killed the dogs at the scene to stop the attack. Tullahoma Animal Control took possession of other dogs in the home as well, as police continue investigating what happened that fateful day.
Brian Kirby, who lives nearby, told WKRN he saw a woman screaming in the street not long before emergency crews arrived. He said the family didn’t appear fearful of their animals.
“I don’t believe that they thought this would ever happen,” Kirby said. “I’m sure it was not done on purpose. I think that people just have animals, and they just need to put them on a leash better; that’s all. And I’m not blaming them for what happened at all. I know that they’re devastated more than we are because it’s their family. It’s just hard to understand and wrap your head around it.”
He claimed that the family’s dogs killed his cat, which broke his heart.
“The police are limited; they can’t do much about it,” he told the outlet. “I don’t believe they thought the dogs were dangerous. I believe they just had too many.
According to WSMV, neighbors claimed the family had seven dogs. The home was apparently in poor condition, and officials condemned it shortly after the attack. Now the family must also find a new place to live.
“[The mom was] screaming, ‘my baby,’ as [Tullahoma Animal Control] pulled up. My heart just shattered,” Rebecca Adams told WSMV. “I’m just now coming to realize what happened, and it really happened. I’ve lived by these people forever, and now they aren’t even going to be my neighbors no more.”
Loved ones created a GoFundMe account to cover final expenses for Smith and the baby, and to help surviving family members relocate. They’ve raised nearly $48,000 thus far.
“We are so unbelievably blessed and grateful for all the love, support, and prayers we’ve received. Thank you to every single person who has reached out, donated, shared, and simply shown that you care. It means more than words can ever say during such a heartbreaking time,” the family shared on the page.
It’s so hard to read about innocent lives lost to animal attacks. Even though most animals will not turn on their owners, some breeds are just more prone to aggressive behavior. Their strength can quite literally kill. We’re sure this family will never be the same. Hopefully, they can rebuild their lives and will always have a special place in their hearts for those they lost.
