Woman attacked by fox, then shot in the leg

A Levy County man accidentally shot his wife in the leg on Friday morning, killing a fox that had locked its jaws onto the woman, deputies reported.

After the fox was pried off the woman’s leg by paramedics, she was taken to Shands at the University of Florida, where she was listed in stable condition later in the day.

Donald and Patricia Vrana had spotted an unknown animal in their yard and went out to investigate, Sullivan said. But once outside, the animal attacked the woman, biting her left leg. She couldn’t get away from the animal and told her husband to get a gun.

Donald Vrana tried to shoot the fox with a .22-caliber rifle, firing seven times. He killed the animal but also accidentally shot his wife in the lower right leg, the Sheriff’s Office reported.