Rabid Fox Attacks Five In South Portland

A rabid fox in the South Portland area attacked five people and was eventually captured and killed by South Portland cops.  During one the early morning attacks the fox made his way through an open window of a parked truck to bite the man sitting inside.  The man had been sitting in the Home Depot parking lot.

The fox chased one man into an office building, where the quick thinking man trapped the fox within a foyer where it stayed until police arrived.  One of the tenants of the building said, "The fox was very aggressive, I can tell you that! He got a  hold of a plant in the lobby and was whipping it around and around, so  it was clear that this wasn't a normal fox you would typically see on  the golf course in the middle of the daytime. He was definitely vicious."

Police took the fox into the woods and shot it to death.  Remains of the fox will be taken to a state laboratory in Augusta and tested for rabies. The results will be released Wednesday.  People attacked by the fox will be given an injection of Human Rabies Immune Globulin.

Besides the man attacked in the truck, the fox also came into contact with a jogger and two homeless people at a campsite.

Remember, if you see an animal like a fox, raccoon or skunk acting strangely, stay clear!