Ramon Najera Jr., 81, was killed by a pair of pit bulls while visiting a friend’s house on San Antonio’s West Side. Credit: Screengrab / GoFundMe

Last week, the Texas House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring Ramon Najera Jr., the 81-year-old San Antonio native and Air Force Veteran killed in a brutal dog attack on the West Side two months ago.

House Resolution 1120 was introduced by first-term State Rep. Josey Garcia, a Democrat and fellow veteran whose district includes the West Side. The resolution passed April 17 with bipartisan support.

“Admired for his devotion to his family, his strong work ethics and his kind and generous nature, Ramon Najera greatly enriched the lives of those around him, and he will forever hold a treasured place in their hearts,” HR 1120 stated. The resolution also paid tribute to Najera’s military service.

Najera was killed Feb. 24 by two American Staffordshire terriers, a type of pit bull,  after visiting a friend’s house. His wife and a San Antonio fire captain were also bitten but survived the attack.

Since the mauling, which grabbed national headlines, the city’s Animal Care Services has changed its dangerous-dog policies, stiffening penalties for irresponsible owners and attempting to make it easier to bring charges against them.

Najera’s widow, with the help of the law offices of Thomas J. Henry, has since filed a $1 million lawsuit against the dogs’ owners and the owner of the home in which the couple resided.

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This article appears in Apr 19 – May 2, 2023.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...