Buchanan Police searching for man who punched woman walking dog

BUCHANAN, Mich. -- A typical Saturday afternoon walk in Buchanan left Jeccika Shepherd bruised and bloodied after a man tried to steal her dog and then punched her when she wouldn’t give in.

It was around 3 p.m. Saturday when a man approached Shepherd and her two dogs, Milo and Otis, as they walked near the corner of Roe Street and Willow Drive.

“He leaned down to pet him and when he did, he grabbed his leash and tried to take him!” Shepherd said in an exclusive interview on Monday.

She said the man singled out her two-year-old Pitbull/German Shepherd mix, Milo.

He began petting the dog’s head, according to Shepherd, but then grabbed his leash. A tug-of-war then started between the man and Shepherd.

“I don’t think he expected me to fight him,” she said. “I think I looked like an easy target…when I refused to let go, he sucker punched me across the face right here.”

The man clocked Shepherd in her cheek bone, leaving a growing bruise and a bloodied lip.

“A car drove around the corner and I waved my arms and I screamed, ‘Help me! Help me!’” she said. “And they didn’t see me, but it was enough to scare him away. And he ran that way. And that was the last I saw of him.”

Shepherd took to Facebook after calling police. Her initial post about the incident has been shared over 1,200 times.

She said she’d do anything to protect her dogs because they’ve helped her get through her own tough times.

She also said she hopes sharing the story of this tough time will help catch the guy and raise awareness.

“It could have been my elderly grandfather,” Shepherd said. “It could have been my 13-year-old cousin. It could have been somebody who was not strong enough to fight back. And it could have been anybody who could’ve gotten hurt a lot worse than I did.”

She describes the suspect as a white man in his mid-20s, about 5’10” tall, and very lanky.

Shepherd said his teeth are in poor condition and he was wearing very baggy clothes.

She’s been working with Buchanan Police and said they’ve been extremely helpful in building a case and making sure she’s feeling alright.

Shepherd said she just wants dog owners in the area to keep an eye out.

If you have any information about this incident, you can call Buchanan Police at 269-695-5120.