Photo: Marion County Sheriff's Office
A beloved Indiana sheriff’s deputy died on Tuesday (May 9) while protecting her son from a dog attack at their home.
Tamieka White, a 17-year veteran deputy in Marion County, is being remembered as a "bright light" after she was pronounced dead at the scene of the dog attack, the New York Post reports. She is survived by her eight-year-old son, who was injured in the attack.
“She died last night protecting the most important person in her life,” Brittany Seligman, the slain deputy’s commander said in a statement.
A "pitbull-type" dog was shot and killed by a law enforcement official after it attempted to pounce at police. According to police, the dog didn't belong to White.
Indianapolis Animal Care Services said in a statement that three other dogs and a cat were found in White's home. The exact breed of the dog that attacked the deputy and her son is still unclear.
In a statement, Sheriff Kerry Forestal mourned the loss of the veteran deputy.
“Deputy White was a bright light to all that knew her," Forestal said in a statement. “We are immensely grateful for her nearly 17 years of service to our agency.”
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