Deputies kill pit bulls that mauled woman
By KOMO Staff
SEATAC, Wash. -- King County sheriff's deputies fatally shot two pit bulls that were attacking a 71-year-old woman Monday morning.
The woman was taken to Harborview Medical Center with serious injuries. A neighbor went out to get his newspaper Monday morning just after 8:15 when he noticed the dogs tugging on what he thought was a rag. When he got closer, he found they were attacking the woman. He tried using a pitchfork on the dogs, but they would not let go, so he called 911. A King County deputy was two blocks away from the home in the Riverton Heights neighborhood near the corner of S. 150th and 30th Ave S. He arrived to find two white pit bulls on top of the woman, who was underneath the porch landing to the home, according to King County Sheriff's spokesman John Urquhart. Urquhart says the dogs were pulling and tugging on the woman, and there was a large amount of blood. As the officer approached, one of the dogs looked up and his mouth was covered in blood. As one of the dogs moved away from the woman, the officer fired one shot and hit the dog in the side. Both dogs then retreated to the driveway.
A second deputy arrived and found the second dog across the street. The dog was still acting aggressive toward the officer, so he fired two shots and killed the dog, Urquhart said. The woman was then rushed to Harborview where she was being treated for severe bite wounds and cuts from head to toe, and a broken arm. Neighbors identified the woman as Huong Le. Police are not sure what sparked the attack. Neighbors say Le was at the bus stop with her niece and nephew a few minutes before the attack. The dog owner's son says the dogs have never been a problem. "They've never been aggressive towards anybody that's ever came over here," said T.J. Cunningham. "Like if you guys were to walk in right now, they wouldn't attack or anything, they'd lick your face off." He said his family still doesn't know how the dogs got out. They had been locked in the home when they all left for school and work that morning. In SeaTac, there is an ordinance specifically designed for pit bulls that says they have to be contained. In fact, at certain times, they actually have to be muzzled. Animal control officers say there were no prior complaints about the dogs. However, they are working with the sheriff's department and the dogs' owner could be facing charges. |
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The officer then fired a shot at the second dog, hitting it in the chest. That dog ran off. The officer then fired another round at the first dog, killing it.
140 Fourth Ave. North, Suite 370,
