“It’s tent, tent, trash pile,” Son furious about homeless camp after dogs attack mother

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A son is furious after his mother was attacked by a pack of dogs from a homeless camp. He told News 4 the dogs have been a problem for months and he now wants to take matters into his own hands, but they’re tied.

“It’s tent, tent, trash pile, trash pile,” said Steve Fritz.

A large homeless camp lies in wooded area near SW 9th St. and May Ave. It’s a stone’s throw away from the North Canadian Riverwalk and Fritz’s home.

“If you go further in, you can actually smell human feces,” said Fritz.

Fritz’s mother, Susan Verzani, went for a Friday evening walk, when he said dogs ran out from the encampment and attacked her.

“Lunged at her, grabbed her arm, took her to the ground. She started screaming,” said Frtiz.

Thankfully, two people came to her rescue, including someone from the camp and a neighbor’s daughter.

“[Someone in the camp] actually came out with a hammer and hit the dog,” said Fritz.

“She said ‘Mom, he was trying, the guy was trying to get the dogs off, but they were getting the lady!’ It was terrible,” said Terry Coddington, whose daughter helped save Verzani.

Verzani’s arm was ripped open. She survived and is now recovering in Houston.

However, Coddington said she’ll never venture far without her big stick.

“To fend off the dogs,” said Coddington. “Several people walking up and down the street, we had to go get them off them people. And fight the dogs off. That same dog.”

Coddington and Fritz said the camp has grown just within a year. There’s been violence and possible criminal activity.

“You don’t need bolt cutters unless you’re stealing stuff,” said Fritz.

After the attack, Fritz said camp residents left the area, including the dogs in the attack and the alleged owner.

On Monday, some people were back to their normal lives.

“They will leave for a week but then they’re back with their dogs,” said Coddington.

Coddington and Fritz know the unsheltered likely have nowhere else to turn.

While on a phone call with City Council staff, Fritz learned the City’s Action Team is working on it.

Staff member: “Police were told that was the next camp they were going to work on,” said a staff member.

Fritz: “But I mean, my mother was almost killed. Is there not a way to escalate that?”

Staff member: “I can give you the numbers for programs, special programs coordinator.”

Fritz: “So, I have to do your job?”

Fritz said he has since contacted City Action and they are “on it.”

Fritz told City Council staff he’s close to taking matters into his own hands.

“If you give me permission, I’ll take my skid steers and clean it,” said Fritz.

“I can’t give you permission because that’s not city land,” said staff.

The homeless camp is right on the line of private property. Fritz has written several letters to the land owner with no avail.

City Council staff said if there’s trash and debris, code enforcement can visit the encampment. If there’s a violation of code, they can send a letter to the property owner to clean it up. If they don’t clean it up in a certain amount of time, then the city can go through the process of a lien notice. After getting an estimate of how much the cleanup will cost, the city could give the green light to start the process.

However, that’s a process that takes time.

Meanwhile, animal welfare said their officers will visit the area daily until they find the dogs in question. That might also prove to be a lengthy process, as the owners and the dogs have allegedly moved to a different camp.

Neighbors gave News 4 the names of the alleged owners. News 4 passed those on to authorities.

Until then, Fritz is keeping a watchful eye and Coddington will be carrying her big stick.

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