Postal Worker Killed by Dogs After Truck Breaks Down

The US Postal Service says it is "deeply saddened" by the death of a postal worker who was attacked by five dogs after her truck broke down in a neighborhood in northern Florida. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office says the 61-year-old woman was attacked by the animals in Interlachen Lake Estates Sunday afternoon, but they were behind a fence when deputies arrived, Fox 13 reports. Witnesses said neighbors pulled the dogs off Pamela Jane Rock when they heard her scream and saw them attacking her. One resident fired a gun in the air to scare the dogs away, the sheriff's office says.

Police say Rock was taken to a local hospital by ambulance and was then flown to a trauma center in Gainesville in critical condition, Action News Jax reports. The sheriff's office confirmed Tuesday that she had died. "Our hearts are with the victim and her family as they navigate through this tragic event," Putnam County Sheriff HD 'Gator’ DeLoach said in a statement. "It is imperative that dog owners take responsibility in keeping their animals in a secured location for their safety and those around." The sheriff's office says they were contacted about the dogs on previous occasions. The owner relinquished custody of the dogs and they will be humanely euthanized, police say. (More USPS stories.)