A Palm Harbor man was arrested Thursday after deputies said he choked a 75-year-old woman walking her dog.

  • Man charged after choking 75-year-old woman with dog leash
  • Emanuel Qosaj charged with attempted murder
  • Incident occurred while Emanuel, victim were walking dogs

Emanuel Qosaj, 20, is charged with simple battery, battery on emergency medical care provider and attempted felony murder.

Deputies said the incident occurred while Qosaj and the victim were walking their dogs.

The Pinellas Sheriff’s Office was called out to a home on 1st Court in Palm Harbor around 3:30 p.m. in reference to an assault and battery call.

Deputies said they heard screaming when they arrived and found the 75-year-old woman being attacked by Emanuel.

Deputies said Qosaj was on top of the victim, battering and choking her with a metal dog leash.

Several witnesses tried to stop the attack, but were pushed away by Qosaj.

Emanuel Qosaj can be seen in this photo on top of the victim, biting her face. (Photo: Ashleigh King)

Caught on video

One of those witnesses, Ashleigh King, 22, caught the attack on video. King, who lives in a condo nearby, said when she arrived on the scene Qosaj was trying to strangle the woman to death.

"He is on top of her with the dog collar choking her all the way around, like he’s got to the ground," said King. "You can see blood coming out of her. He’s slamming her head on the cement. There was nothing much I could do besides kick and scream and cry for help."

King said after that initial attack, Qosaj stopped and tried to kill his own dog. He then snapped again, and turned his attacks back on his first victim, this time biting her face.

“He just started strangling her again and he started biting her face," said King. "He was biting literally and you could just see blood coming down and that’s when I called 911 and they were here in three minutes. They tased him and took him down. When he woke up he was foaming at the mouth.”

The victim was transported to Mease-Countryside Hospital for serious, but non-life threatening injuries.

The victim's daughter said her mother was attacked for no apparent reason. She said Qosaj was walking his dog off a leash along with his girlfriend, when that dog ran up to the victim.

Qosaj's girlfriend then started talking with the victim. Qosaj told her to stop because he wanted to leave -- when she continued talking, that's when he attacked.

Deputies were forced to taser Qosaj in order to get him to cease his attacks on the victim. (image: Ashleigh King)

Qosaj was also transported to the same hospital. Officials said during the transportation, he spat on emergency personal and claimed that the victim was "evil."

Deputies also said Qosaj’s brothers, Alfred Kole Qosaj and Genc Kole Qosaj, interfered during the incident. One even struggled with a deputy.

Alfred Qosaj was charged with resisting an officer without violence. Genc Qosaj was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.

All three brothers were transported to the Pinellas County jail.

Deputies are still investigating the incident.

King told us her thoughts and prayers are with the victim.

“I can’t wait until she gets home so I can walk up to her door and give her a massive hug," King said. "She just survived something she shouldn’t have survived.”