North Texas Man Killed by Bull While Trying to Protect His Son, Neighbors Say

A 60-year-old man was apparently killed by a bull in Ellis County on Monday afternoon.

According to the Ellis County Sheriff's Office, dispatchers received a 911 call at about 2:03 p.m. where the caller said a bull had possibly killed his son.

According to neighbors, the father tried to help protect his son.

"He had his pickup backed up right into halfway off the road and it was already too late," Alfred Limon said. Limon has known the victim's family for years. He said the victim had been working the family's land.

"He was tearing down the fence line to put a new one up, and he must have seen the bull out here," Limon said.

Deputies were sent to the 200 block of James Road, east of Ferris, that's where they reported finding a bull destroying property and preventing first responders from helping the man.

Neighbors also stepped in to help the victim and also tame the bull.

A sheriff's office spokesman said the bull was later shot dead by deputies.

"He tried to do CPR on him, but it was too late. He was already dead. That's when they shot the bull," Limon said.

An air ambulance was called to transport the injured man to an area hospital, but the sheriff's department said he was pronounced deceased at the scene at about 2:07 p.m.

Officials have not said who owns the bull or where it came from. The Ellis County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division is investigating the incident.

Ferris is in Ellis County, along Interstate 45 about 20 miles south of Dallas.

NBCDFW.com

NBC 5's Alicia Barrera contributed to this report.