His heroic act will always be remembered.
Betty Mundine, the wife of an Indiana pastor who tragically lost his life while defending her from a vicious pit bull attack, fondly remembers her husband of nearly 50 years as a hero. William Mundine, 85, the leader of Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church, courageously confronted two stray pit bulls on their property on Tuesday, ultimately paying the ultimate price for his bravery.
Reflecting on the harrowing incident, Betty Mundine expressed, “I say he saved my life. He was a hero.” The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the city’s east side around 10 a.m. on the day of the attack. Holly Watkins, the granddaughter of the Mundine couple, recounted that she and her grandmother were outside their home when the pit bulls attempted to attack them. Seeking refuge inside, William Mundine went out to deter the dogs, only to face a vicious assault.
While Betty Mundine regards her late husband as a hero, the grieving process is palpable, as confirmed by their daughter, Melissa Mundine. Distraught and mourning, she revealed the persistent danger posed by these unleashed dogs in their neighborhood, emphasizing that the dogs had been roaming freely for weeks.
Kurt Christian, chief communications officer for the Indianapolis Animal Care Services, acknowledged that a day prior to the fatal attack, a complaint about the stray dogs had been received, prompting an investigation. Despite efforts, officers were unable to locate the dogs. Following protocol, a monitoring schedule was established, but tragically, the attack occurred before the dogs could be apprehended.
On the day of the incident, an animal control officer, responding to reports of an ongoing attack, joined by EMS and IMPD officers, found William Mundine critically injured. In the face of the aggressive pit bulls, an IMPD officer had to discharge their firearm to protect the victim. One of the dogs was shot, while the other was successfully impounded.
The Mundine family stressed the ongoing threat posed by aggressive dogs in their neighborhood and called for accountability. Holly Watkins recounted frequent encounters with these dogs, stating, “Every day, they just come in people’s yards.” The family urged authorities to find the dogs and their owners, emphasizing the need to address and resolve the perilous situation promptly.