Pit bull suspected in Harbison Forest attacks on joggers is shot and killed

One of two pit bulls suspected in one or more of the vicious attacks on Harbison State Forest joggers a week ago was shot and killed Monday night on nearby private property.

“The Forestry Commission has learned that one of the dogs believed to have been involved in at least one recent attack at Harbison State Forest was shot and killed overnight,” the S.C. Forestry Commission said in a statement.

“Shortly before midnight Monday, a relative of a homeowner who lives near the state forest shot one of two dogs that he witnessed attacking the homeowner’s goats, three of which were killed. The black dog has been confirmed dead, and the brown dog, which may also have been shot, ran away.”

The commission’s statement continued, “Additionally, the victim of the second dog attack July 12 has positively identified, based on photos provided by Richland County Animal Control this morning, the black dog as one of the animals he encountered.”

“The homeowner also attests that the two dogs attacking his goats were the same black and brown pair for which law enforcement officers have been searching for more than a week now. Several weeks ago, the same homeowner reported that several of his goats had been killed by the same two dogs,” the statement said.

The statement did not identify the person who killed the pit bull or say exactly where the incident happened. A forestry official indicated the shooting took place off Lost Creek Drive on the west side of Harbison Forest. It has not been ascertained whether the attacking dogs belong to someone or if they have been running wild.

Harbison State Forest, a 2,137-acre state-managed forest with popular jogging, hiking and mountain bike trails, is located just nine miles from downtown Columbia and is bordered on the east by the Broad River and on the west by Broad River Road.

Technically, the forest is not defined as a “nature preserve,” but a “working forest” — a forest that is “actively managed for multiple uses, which denotes conservation as opposed to preservation. Those multiple uses include wildlife enhancement, soil and water conservation, pine straw and timber sales, research, sheer aesthetic beauty and of course recreation,” a forestry commission spokesman said.

The S.C. State Forestry Commission closed the forest on Monday July 14 and has kept it closed while officers hunt the dangerous pit bulls with drones and traps.

“Out of an abundance of caution, Harbison State Forest will remain closed at least through Friday, pending further developments,” the statement said.

Signs have also been posted at the forest’s entrance saying, “Aggressive dogs have been encountered on Harbison State Forest and surrounding areas. Please use caution. If spotted, please call 911 and 803-896-8890.”

On Friday, July 11, and Saturday, July 12, two men — both experienced athletes — were out for solitary runs on one of Harbison’s trails when they were attacked by a pair of pit bulls.

One of the men, Winston Holliday, 57, a top South Carolina federal prosecutor who is a marathon runner, was severely bitten and might have been killed had not another man by chance came upon the attack and frightened the dogs away. He was attacked Saturday morning, July 12.

The other, Connor McNeill, 19, an ultra marathoner, saved himself by jumping atop a stump and kicking and hitting the attacking dogs for 30 minutes until help arrived in the form of relatives he had called on his cell phone. McNeill was attacked Friday afternoon, July 11.

Both Holliday and McNeill described the dogs as one black and one brown. Both also said they might have died or been seriously injured had not help arrived.

“Richland County Animal Control and the City of Columbia Animal Services are in the area looking for the brown dog now, and the Forestry Commission is continuing the search operation on Harbison with the help of sister law enforcement agencies,” the commission said.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

This story was originally published July 22, 2025 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Pit bull suspected in Harbison Forest attacks on joggers is shot and killed."