75-year-old feeding animals is attacked, dragged and killed by bull, Texas officials say

A 75-year-old man was feeding animals at a rural Texas property when investigators believe he was attacked and killed by a bull, authorities told news outlets.

Deputies responded to the scene in Donna after a family member found the man on the ground, face down and not moving, at about 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office told KVEO. There were also fresh hoof prints surrounding the man, according to deputies.

He went to tend to the animals at the property, but a concerned family member started searching for him when he didn’t return home, deputies told the station.

The bull had become increasingly aggressive recently, the family told deputies, and though nobody witnessed what happened, evidence points to the bull fatally attacking the man, KRGV reported.

“A four-year-old bull, which had shown increased aggression over the past two months, may have attacked the victim,” a release said, the outlet reported. “The bull, believed to be responsible, displayed aggressive behavior as investigators approached it.”

The man had scrapes and other visible injuries indicating he was dragged or trampled, or both, MyRGV.com reported.

An autopsy listed two causes of death: blunt force trauma to the chest and heart disease, the outlet reported.

Officials did not say what became of the bull.

Donna is a roughly 240-mile drive south from San Antonio.

This story was originally published August 21, 2024 at 11:53 AM with the headline "75-year-old feeding animals is attacked, dragged and killed by bull, Texas officials say."