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Grover Beach man dies from dog attack

December 17, 2016
David Fear and his wife Terry Fear

David Fear and his wife Terry Fear

The Grover Beach man attacked by a police officer’s dog died Friday evening. He was 64 years old.

On Tuesday afternoon, the dog attacked Betty Long, 85, in her front yard. Long’s neighbor, David Fear, went to assist the woman and the officer’s Belgian Malinois attacked him.

Fear lost six pints of blood as a result of the attack. The dog bites severed two arteries in his arm, and Fear developed an infection from the bites.

Fear is being described as a hero who possibly saved the life of his neighbor. Long suffered a broken pelvis, broken shoulder and head wounds during the attack. Long is expected to be released from the hospital on Saturday.

An Animal Services investigation is ongoing. The Grover Beach officer who owned the dog is cooperating with investigators, according to the agency.

The officer turned over the Belgian Malinois to authorities, and the dog has already been euthanized. The dog was also tested for rabies.


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Tragic turn of events.


Since Mr. Fear passed away, the Sheriff/Coroner will be conducting an investigation into this, and since an officer was involved from Grover Beach they cannot investigate this accident/event,


Horrible tragedy. I am sure the owner feels just terrible. Animals are unpredictable and dogs of almost any breed can be dangerous when in a pack and the wrong setup happens. None of us know the particular dog or owner so it is total speculation to say this was a “tough guy” dog, or whatever. The owner could have been trying to help an animal out that was previously a service dog of some type.


I have a friend that adopted someone else’s retired police dog, he ended up having to give it back or have it put down. It was just too aggressive and was pretty much devoted to its partner.


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True dogs can be unpredictable but that still doesn’t give the owner a pass. He has responsibilities and we can let a court of law decide what those may or may not be. Let them be the judge.


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may Mr. Fear rest in peace, as he was obviously a selfless and genuine man.


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Isn’t this the ‘War Dog’ used by the US Navy seals to corner Bin Laden? Faithful, fearless & can be a vicious working dog used by the military & police. Not exactly a family dog.


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There are no words to describe this utter, tragic loss. It is beyond my comprehension. I never had occasion to meet David Fear; but he was a real member of our community, and I am so very sad. David is gone now and Betty Long is seriously injured and hurting. Why? Our community needs an explanation. David’s family needs answers. Betty Long and her family need to know what happened outside her home this past Tuesday.


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An armed and trained and willing to act citizenry may have stopped this tragedy. But that will never be in the PRC.


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The LAST thing someone being viciously attacked by a dog needs is someone trying to shoot the dog. What a detestable comment. Take your agenda elsewhere. Shameful.


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Seems 3 out of 4 thumbs disagree with your detestable and shameful comment.


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Illustrating that a) You and the others are deviod of common sense and would shoot into the whirlwind of a dog attack and b) you and the others have no shame in inserting your agenda into an article about someone selfless enough to give their life to save his neighbor.


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I do not think you know what that word, “common sense,” means since the majority of sentiment here appears posed against yours. (Corollary: “If everyone around you is an ahole, maybe you are the ahole.”)


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“Common Sense” has nothing to do with a majority of thought and or sentiment, Mr. Rice. What it does mean is using good judgement, combined with a little reasoning and acting accordingly to a certain situation.


With that in mind Mr. Rice, “common sense” would define those who prescribe to the “shoot first and deal with the consequences later”, especially in this case, of having none.


I would be interested to hear the opinion of a member of law enforcement as from what I’ve read they wouldn’t act in that manner either in regards to this case…


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Cling to your name calling and “thumbs down” if it makes you feel better Kevin. The “majority” here just jumped off a cliff so I guess you have something to do.


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Personal attacks removed.


Everyone, Less about each other, much less.


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There was a guy named David Fear. If we could talk to him, I’m sure he would have wished he had a gun. I’m sure wishing he was armed as he decided to help someone in need. Someone trained to use a gun would have had no problem ending the situation very quickly. Taking proper training is a requirement for obtaining a concealed weapons permit.


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Here we go again, someone speaking for someone that is dead! How f***in’ arrogant does a person have to be to do such a thing? Pretty much over-the-top arrogant if you ask me jimmy_me. Did you know him, Mr. Fear? Probably not; and in most folks minds with “common sense” that would disqualify you from speaking on his, Mr. Fear’s, behalf. Don’t you think? Probably not, because if you put one ounce of brain power behind your post(s) you’d would run from what you have said; If for no other reason than it appears to be an agenda and is completely devoid of any type of compassion or sensitivty to the only fact we have here, Mr. Fear is dead and shouldn’t be.


And you twist things up from just having a gun to having a CCW? What the f***?! Yea, proper training, right!!!! 16 to 24 hours of training makes you highly qualified to not only shoot a gun but determine the proper situation in which to do so? Is that a “pass-fail” type of training? Nope, it is not!


Again, I would love to hear from any LEO on this subject and today since I’m going to town I think I’ll stop by the State Troopers Headquarters and speak to someone on this subject.


You know what I think? I think we have a local gun-nut cabal in SLO that sits around in their Mom’s basement with a long table and a bank of computers giving each other high-fives everytime they piss someone off with their BS! OR, it’s just one person using many monikers spewing the same crap at the wrong time while fondeling themself. I’m just glad they don’t have access to my personal information or to records available through CLETS, the SSA or any other government agency… That would be typical of some here.


Mr. Fear is dead and the pure conjecture that a gun would have helped him is dealing in fantasy and shouldn’t have been brought up…


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Wow! Projecting much, aren’t we?


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Here, let me “project” some more…


I just got home and one of my stops was at my local State Trooper Headquarters where a Trooper was kind enough to answer a couple of questions. I wasn’t specific to this incident but I referedd to it in generalities, here’s the gist of it:


He made it very clear to me that shooting a dog is an act of last resort and he would never shoot one that was in the act of attacking a person. He stated “The chances of missing and hitting the person being attacked is far too great. In most dog attacks the dog and person are too interwined to have any cofindence in just hitting the dog”. He went further to state “The chance of my round passing through the dog and hitting the person being attacked is a concern too”. I asked him what would be his reaction to this type of situation: “It depends on the situation at that time and at that moment, but shooting the dog would be the last resort and only if the person being attacked was in no way in the direct line of fire”.


I then asked him about an armed citizen with the proper training; his responce was, and I shit you not: “Mr. L.A.RamsFan (he used my real name); use a little “COMMON SENSE”! When or where would it be proper for a citizen to do so when a Trooper would not”?


Heres a little informative reading for you, jimmy_me and Kevin Rice:


http://www.inquisitr.com/…/lapd-officer-killed-dog-injured-woman-in-police-involved-shooting/‎


You might lose your place at that bank of computers, so scurry along now…


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Great, more guns! Just what is needed, a big shootout in a neighborhood.


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Shootout? Do the dogs in Grover Beach carry guns?


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No, but there are plenty of dog owners who wouldn’t hesitate to shoot someone who harmed their dog. Case in point: John McAfee


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RIP David Fear. Thank you for your Bravery.

May you rest in Peace, and may God give comfort to your widow Terry. Next week I will donate blood in your Name.


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So sad for the victims, and families involved. Not the least bit sorry for the cop that just threw his life away for owning a “macho” dog. You can bet if the cop paid any attention, he knew this dog was way too aggressive for the neighborhood settings. The Chief probably also knew he had an aggressive cop on board as well. Bring on the lawsuits, and remember: They won’t find Justice, only resolution.


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10:1 the dogs’ owner(s) (as a member of the special, protected class of civil servants) won’t be held accountable.


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We are all eagerly awaiting some real facts of this situation. A damn shame and probably preventable tragedy.


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While I understand a pet and you can’t control 100%, the owner/officer should have some sort of negligence charge against him now. This just isn’t right it cost this man his life.


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