Deputies say the man was walking on a trail at the old Palmer Turner School in Henning at around 7 a.m. when he was mauled by several stray dogs.
At approximately 7:12 a.m., deputies with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office responded to the area of 655 S. Church Street in Henning after receiving a report of a deceased individual.
Based on the preliminary investigation, investigators observed injuries believed to be consistent with an animal attack.
Detectives said surveillance video from the area appears to show a dog running in the direction of the victim shortly before he was discovered.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office said it is actively working alongside Animal Control to locate any dogs that may have been involved and to ensure they are safely secured while this investigation continues.
The sheriff's office said the incident should serve as an important reminder to all pet owners to keep their dogs inside their homes or in fenced-in backyards. Tennessee Code Annotated § 44-8-408 prohibits owners from allowing their animals to run at large.
The sheriff's office said when dogs are roaming freely, there is no way for responding deputies or members of the public to determine whether they are beloved family pets or animals that present a danger to others.
The investigation remains active, and investigators are continuing to gather evidence and follow up on all available leads. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the official cause and manner of death.
The victim has not been identified.
Anyone with information regarding this incident, including information about any dogs in the area at the time of the incident, is encouraged to contact the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office at (731) 635-1311.
Henning is about 48 miles north of Memphis.
During a 6:30 AM work commute I was pursued on my bicycle by a collie, a doberman and a German Sheperd. The collie came in to try and grab my ankle. Even if they were just "having fun" being dragged off the bike would have been serious. This was in a small city in a park road along a creek. I do not believe these were wild dogs, just unrestrained "pets" that later ran home to jump back into their yards.
I was able to outrun them, at least enough that they left off to pursue the bicycle commuter around 30 yards behind me.
This motivated me to get a permit to carry a gun. One of my friends mounted a can of Bear Spray pepper on his handlebar.