San Antonio couple charged after pit bull attack that left 1 dead, 3 injured, accused of training dogs to ‘be aggressive’

The Daily Mail reports that police had received tips that owners Christian Alexander Moreno and Abilene Schnieder "have been breeding the dogs and training the dogs to be aggressive with meat."

According to News 4 San Antonio, the couple was arrested and charged with "Dangerous Dog Attack Resulting in Death and Injury to Elderly - Criminal Negligence" and their bonds were set at a combined $125,000.

81-year-old Ramon Najera died after getting mauled by the couple's three pit bulls, who escaped from their yard. The dogs then attacked Najera and his 74-year-old wife, who the man tried to protect in the attack. During the attack, two other men who tried to intervene were attacked.

According to the affidavit, Schneider "recorded conversations with her husband regarding how dangerous the dogs had become" and reports emerged that in two prior incidents, the pit bulls attacked people in the neighborhood.

KSAT news reports that the incident happened in the 2800 block of Delpha Street around 2pm and that when firefighters arrived they had to fight off the pit bulls.

SAFD Chief Charles Hood said in a press conference, "This is not something normal for us. We usually don’t show up and have to defend patients from animals or ourselves."

Hood said that the firefighters were "very heroic" for "fighting off these pit bulls with pickaxes and pipe poles to try to get to the patients."

The pit bulls reportedly not wearing harnesses or collars during the attack.

Following the attack and before her arrest, Sneider told local KENS5 news "We were coming back and I saw the dogs behind the gate but they were full of blood."

She continued, "It's traumatizing to see my dogs that I have raised since they were puppies do that to somebody. From the bottom of our hearts, we're sorry but my husband is not responsible."

The dogs have been euthanized.