Pit bulls kill man defending wife, young woman on birthday

Robert Williams, age 74, of Memphis, Tennessee, was killed in the backyard of his Parkway Village home on July 28, 2025 while defending his wife, Sharon Williams, 67, from two pit bulls running at large.

Memphis Animal Services director Suzy Hollenbach told Fox13 news that Memphis has 20,000 unowned, free-roaming dogs. This would indicate a ratio of one stray dog per 31 human residents, high for cities in the developing world, including India and Indonesia, let alone a major city in the United States.

Sharon Williams was hospitalized with multiple bites to her legs and hips.

“Officers said they fired shots at both of the dogs, killing them,” reported Vivian Nguyen and Harrison Klopp for WREG television news in Memphis.

Robert and Sharon Williams’ lives appeared to have centered on their involvement in the nearby Ridgeway Baptist Church.