Roxboro Man Fights Off Coyote
What started as a simple smoke break turned into a life-or-death battle for a Roxboro man who came face-to-face with a wild coyote in a North Carolina neighborhood.
James Pulliam was outside his Somerset Drive apartment around 7:00 p.m. Friday when he sensed something wasn’t right. “I felt like something was watching me… like it was hunting me,” he said. Seconds later, his instincts proved right—a coyote charged out of the woods and attacked him without warning.
The animal sank its teeth into Pulliam’s left hand, knocking him to the ground. But this was no ordinary wildlife encounter—this was a fight for survival.
“I had to rip my left hand out of his mouth… and then I just choked him all the way until police got there,” Pulliam said, still shaken from the encounter.
Despite multiple bite wounds, Pulliam refused to become prey. He fought back—kicking, throwing rocks, and ultimately grabbing the coyote by the throat and pinning it to the ground in a brutal standoff until help arrived.
He was rushed to the hospital where he received rabies shots and antibiotics. The coyote was later seized by Person County Animal Services and sent for rabies testing.
Wildlife officials are sounding the alarm as coyote sightings spike in residential areas. Spring marks the peak of their activity, and experts say the animals can become aggressive if they lose fear of humans—especially when fed, even unintentionally.
If you see a coyote, don’t run. Make noise, wave your arms, throw something. Make yourself big and loud,” wildlife officials advise.
