Police say the dogs’ owner encouraged the attack, which injured the runner and left his German shepherd with a broken leg.
MIAMI, FL — A dog owner was jailed after Miami police said his two pit bulls attacked a man and his dog during an evening run in Wynwood, leaving both injured.
Police identified the arrested man as Jonte Jack. Investigators said 30-year-old Evan Motlong was jogging with his German shepherd near Northwest Second Avenue and 22nd Street on Wednesday night when the two unleashed dogs charged at them. Jack faces charges that include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felony battery and criminal mischief. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Motlong told Local 10 News that the pit bulls first attacked his dog. He said he pulled the animals away and began calling 911, but alleged that Jack then encouraged the dogs to attack him. Police later reported the same allegation as part of their investigation.
“When I saw the dogs run after my dog, all I could think about was saving her,” Motlong said. “That’s my baby. That’s my child.”
Motlong said he tried to fight off the dogs before Jack pushed him to the ground and punched him. He said the blow caused him to lose consciousness. A cellphone video recorded by a witness shows Motlong lying on the sidewalk while another man walks away with the two dogs, according to Local 10 News.
The video also appears to show the man kicking Motlong’s cellphone before leaving. Police did not immediately release a detailed account explaining what happened before the confrontation or how investigators located Jack.
Motlong suffered cuts and bruises and was recovering, police said. He previously told the television station that hospital examinations showed several fractures and that he might need surgery. His German shepherd suffered a broken leg, according to photographs and information provided to the station.
Before the arrest was announced, Motlong said he had filed a police report and wanted authorities to take the other man into custody. He also called for the dogs to be removed from their owner. “I just want to get justice for myself and my dog,” he said.
Authorities had not released information about where the two pit bulls were being held, whether animal-control officers had taken custody of them or whether they had a documented history of aggression. Jack’s attorney information and his next scheduled court proceeding were also not immediately available.
The case remains under investigation by Miami police. Additional details about the evidence supporting the charges and the conditions of Jack’s detention had not been publicly released as of Sunday.
Author note: Last updated July 19, 2026.