Evan Motlong was on the ground, bleeding from the head, when a witness recorded the two dogs and their owner walking away.

His phone lay nearby on a Miami sidewalk. Before leaving, the other man appeared to kick it.

Only moments earlier, Motlong had been jogging with his dog through the Wynwood neighborhood when two unleashed pit bulls rushed toward them. He said the dogs pinned his pet down and began biting as she screamed.

Motlong did not run.

He reached into the attack and tried to pull the dogs away, suffering a serious bite to his arm before the confrontation expanded from an animal attack into an alleged assault by the dogs’ owner.

Days later, police identified the man as 44-year-old Jonte Jack and arrested him on multiple charges, including aggravated assault, battery and resisting an officer.

Motlong and his dog survived, but both were left recovering from injuries after an ordinary evening run turned into a frightening struggle for their lives.

An Evening Jog Changed in Seconds

The attack occurred on Wednesday, July 15, near Northwest Second Avenue and 22nd Street in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.

Motlong, 20, had been running with his dog when he noticed two pit bulls approaching without leashes.

The situation escalated almost immediately.

Motlong said the dogs went directly after his pet. Within seconds, both pit bulls were on top of her and biting while she cried out in pain.

His response was instinctive.

He described his dog as his baby and his child. Once he saw her being attacked, protecting her became the only thing he could think about.

He moved toward the dogs and attempted to pull them away.

That placed his own body within reach of the attack.

He Was Bitten While Pulling a Dog Away

Motlong said one of the pit bulls bit his arm badly as he tried to remove it from his dog.

The injury did not stop him from continuing to intervene.

He also began calling police, hoping emergency help would arrive before either he or his pet suffered even greater harm.

According to Motlong, the animals’ owner did not try to calm the situation.

Instead, Motlong alleged that the man ordered the pit bulls to attack him.

The confrontation then became physical between the two men.

Motlong said he was pushed to the ground and punched while he was down. He recalled losing consciousness during the alleged assault.

When he later described the incident, he appeared to have a black eye in addition to the injury on his arm.

The full sequence left him bloodied, dazed and lying on the pavement while his injured dog remained nearby.

A Witness Recorded the Aftermath

A video captured by someone at the scene showed Motlong on the ground with blood running from his head.

The two pit bulls and their owner could be seen leaving.

Before walking away, the owner appeared to kick Motlong’s phone aggressively as it lay on the sidewalk.

The recording documented only part of what happened, but it showed the condition in which Motlong was left after the confrontation.

His concern extended beyond his own injuries.

He had entered the attack because he believed his dog might otherwise be severely injured or killed. Even while describing being bitten, struck and knocked unconscious, he repeatedly returned to what had happened to her.

For Motlong, the dog was not property caught in an unfortunate incident.

She was family.

Police Arrested the Dogs’ Owner

In the days after the attack, Miami police identified the owner of the two pit bulls as Jonte Jack.

The 44-year-old was taken into custody and faced multiple charges of aggravated assault, battery and resisting a police officer.

The accusations against Jack remained part of the criminal process, and the article did not provide a final outcome in the case.

Motlong said he wanted justice for both himself and his dog.

His demand was not limited to punishment for the injuries he suffered. He also questioned how anyone could feel safe walking a pet if unleashed animals could be used or allowed to attack without warning.

People should not have to look behind them during an ordinary walk, he said, wondering whether a dog considered part of the family might suddenly be hurt or killed.

Comments Suggested Other Residents Recognized the Man

After Motlong’s story became public, he began reading comments from people who claimed they had previously seen the same man engaging in similar behavior.

The article did not establish the details or outcome of those claims.

For Motlong, however, the comments increased his concern that the attack may not have been an isolated event.

If other residents had encountered the man and his dogs before, he believed the situation raised broader questions about neighborhood safety and whether warning signs had been missed.

Wynwood is known for its art, nightlife and pedestrian activity. People regularly walk, exercise and bring pets through the area.

Motlong’s experience showed how quickly that familiar public space could become dangerous when powerful dogs were loose and their owner allegedly escalated rather than stopped the confrontation.

The Dogs Were Not the Only Alleged Threat

The incident began with two animals attacking Motlong’s pet, but his account placed human decisions at the center of what followed.

Unleashed dogs created the immediate danger.

Motlong then alleged that their owner directed them toward him, pushed him down and struck him until he lost consciousness.

That distinction matters.

The story was not simply about unpredictable animal behavior. It was also about whether the person responsible for controlling the dogs intentionally made an already dangerous situation worse.

Motlong’s injuries came while he was attempting to rescue his own pet.

The alleged assault occurred while he was on the ground and trying to call for help.

His damaged phone became another symbol of the encounter. The device he had used to reach police was allegedly kicked before the owner left the scene.

Recovery Includes More Than Physical Wounds

Motlong and his dog were both recovering after the attack.

The article did not provide a detailed medical update or specify the full extent of the dog’s injuries. It did show that Motlong had suffered a serious bite, a head wound and visible bruising around one eye.

Those injuries can heal with time.

The fear created by the encounter may be more difficult to leave behind.

Running with a dog is normally built on routine. The same streets, leash and familiar pace create a sense of control. After an attack, each approaching animal can feel different. An unleashed dog may no longer appear merely careless but potentially dangerous.

Motlong’s comments reflected that loss of security.

He did not want other residents to feel they had to remain constantly alert for an attack while doing something as ordinary as walking a family pet.

He Chose His Dog Before Himself

The most revealing moment came before police, charges or the witness video.

It came when Motlong saw the pit bulls on top of his dog.

He knew moving toward them exposed him to their teeth. He did it anyway.

His arm was badly bitten. He said he was shoved, punched and rendered unconscious. Yet when he later explained his decision, there was little hesitation.

She was his baby.

That bond turned an evening jog into an act of protection.

The criminal case will determine how the allegations against Jack are handled. Investigators and the courts will address the charges stemming from the confrontation.

For Motlong, the immediate outcome is already visible in the injuries he and his dog carried away.

He began the evening running beside the animal he loved.

When two dogs rushed her, he placed himself between them.

He could not prevent the attack from happening, but he refused to leave her inside it alone.