Video shows how pit bulls got out of house before Halloween attack in Tarentum last year
Tarentum police arrested 34-year-old Shawn Flynn on charges including aggravated assault, criminal trespass, and recklessly endangering another person for the incident that took place about five minutes before trick-or-treating was set to begin.
Eight months later, Michael Shutack now has scars from his arms to his face and legs. They're painful memories from when pit bulls brutally mauled him on Oct. 31, 2024, leaving him out of work for two months.
"Not knowing what's going on, I walked into an ambush, and they took me down," Shutack said.
Surveillance video obtained by KDKA reveals how the dogs got loose in the neighborhood by East Seventh and Ormond Street. In the video, Flynn is seen in a hoodie, opening the door to the owners' home and running away. Seconds later, three pit bulls escape outside.
"Who knows who else would have been attacked, and in a way, I'm kind of glad it was me and not a kid," Shutack said.
That's initially how Shutack got caught in the crosshairs. He heard a noise, saw the dogs heading towards some kids and got them out of harm's way.
"I picked him up and tossed him over the fence down at the end there, and I asked him, 'What's going on?' And he was too scared to talk," Shutack said.
Before Shutack knew it, the dogs went after him. Flynn even tried to help, using a rug to distract the dogs, but got attacked himself. Another neighbor threw an old PlayStation console at the animals.
Shutack eventually learned that the dogs had injured a woman in the area.
"Whatever reason he had for doing it, there's no excuse," Shutack said.
The dogs' owners weren't home at the time, but neighbors told KDKA they were evicted right after the incident, and court records show charges against them were recently dismissed. A spokesperson with the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office told KDKA that dismissal was due to the new video evidence received by police.
The criminal complaint also said Flynn only admitted to letting the dogs out after officers showed him the video. In an interview with investigators, he told them the landlord told his friend, "he would pay money for them to let the dogs out of the house" in an effort to evict the owners.
Flynn said he never received that money.
"He has to answer, take his lumps for what he did," Shutack said.
As for Flynn, his mom told KDKA her son had never been in trouble until now. Flynn remains out of jail on non-monetary bail and will be back in court on July 30.
It's unclear whether the landlord will face any charges.
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