Posted on December 14, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Killed by His XL Bullies in Mesa Viking Park in San Diego

Pedro Ortega, 26-years old, was killed by his three XL bullies in Mesa Viking Park in San Diego.

Killed by XL Bullies
San Diego, CA - A Mira Mesa man is dead after being mauled by his XL bullies in a neighborhood park. After a 911 call reporting a dog attack, police were dispatched to a children's playground in Mesa Viking Park in the 11200 block of Westonhill Drive. Officers used a Taser to stop the attack. The man had been with his own child, who was unharmed. Bystanders intervened by hitting the dogs with shovels and a golf club, which were found at the scene, along with torn clothing and a shoe.

The park is located next to Ericson Elementary School. Police quickly captured two of the dogs, but a third remained at large, causing police to lockdown the school. Police later found the third dog at the owner's home, which is close to the park. NBC San Diego reports that one of the bystanders who intervened was also attacked by the dogs. Both victims were taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital, where the dog owner was pronounced dead at 4:45 pm. The status of the second victim is unknown.

Neighbor Steve Marto captured photos of the dogs while police were at the scene. "They were big. I guess they call them XL bullies. They are just like massive muscle," Marto said. His son, Stewart Marto, said, "I don't understand why someone would want to have three dogs that size. You're just looking for a problem in my opinion." All three dogs were confiscated by the San Diego Humane Society and placed into bite quarantine. The dog owner's young son is now with his mother, police said.

The Martos also spoke to 10News. "You don't really have stuff like this that happens here... Like somebody's face got mangled at this park. An hour from now this park can be filled with kids coming out of that school. It's sad that that could've happened to little kids -- the elementary school's right here," Stewart said. Like his father, he also described the XL bullies as massive. "These dogs were freakin' huge. They were probably close to 120 to 150 pound dogs," Stewart told NBC San Diego.

Victim Identified

On Monday, the victim was identified as 26-year old Pedro Luis Ortega. He was with his son on the playground when his three XL bullies attacked him. Arriving police officers Tased the dogs, causing them to flee. One entered into a nearby garage. The homeowner, Kevin Pratt, said the dog was blood-soaked. "He was covered in blood, head to toe. So, it was probably not his own, and he had a taser dart sticking out of him," Pratt said. Images of the dog were captured on his surveillance camera.

That dog was later secured in a vehicle near the park. The other two dogs eluded authorities but were eventually captured. A Good Samaritan who tried to help Ortega by beating the dogs with a golf club sustained serious injuries. He was transported to a hospital, where he continues to recover. All three dogs were initially placed into bite quarantine then humanely euthanized after being surrendered by their co-owner. A memorial where the fatal dog mauling occurred says, "RIP P.O. We Love You."

XL bullies kill owner in Mesa Viking Park

The same XL bully is seen standing in a garage with a taser dart sticking out of its neck.

At least one XL bully being confiscated at Mesa Viking Park after the fatal dog mauling.

Torn clothing, a shoe and broken golf club seen at the Mesa Viking Park dog attack scene.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: California Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Baseline reporting requirements:
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.

Posted on December 9, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Family Rottweilers Kill 5-Year Old Girl in Backyard of Mansion in Covina

On Sunday, a pair of family rottweilers killed a 5-year old girl in the backyard of a mansion in Covina.

Dogs Kill Child
Covina, CA - A 5-year old girl is dead after being attacked by two rottweilers. Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 2500 block of Palomino Drive in the gated community of Les Maisons around noon on Sunday. Deputies discovered the child had been attacked by the dogs in the backyard. Footage from KABC show a pair of shoes and bits of clothing strewn in the yard. Paramedics transported the child to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 1:23 pm.

Authorities said she sustained injuries to her head and torso while her father tried to protect her from the dogs. Four dogs resided at the home. Investigators said that two dogs -- a 10-year old rottweiler and a 6-year old rottweiler-weimaraner mix -- were responsible for the attack. All four dogs were confiscated by county animal control officers. Investigators said the child had lived with the dogs in the home all of her life with no prior incidents. One other family member sustained minor injuries.

Child Fell Before Attack

The Press-Telegram reports the girl's father, divorced from her mother, lives at the home. Police said the girl and the father were in the backyard, along with four family dogs, which includes a 10-year old weimaraner and a 4-year old doberman. "She fell. They (the rottweiler and rottweiler-weimaraner mix) immediately started attacking her," sheriff’s Lt. Steve De Jong said. The father dove on top of her, "trying to protect her and shield her from the dogs," he said. The other two dogs were not involved.

The child was transported to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, where she died. The medical examiner's office has since identified the child as Amelia Yu. Christopher Valles, a spokesperson for Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control, said his agency had never been to the property on Palomino Drive prior to the fatal attack. All four dogs will be held in quarantine for 10 days. Afterward, a hearing may be held if the owner wants any of the dogs back, Valles said.

Fund & Clarifications

A GoFundMe for the child's funeral costs has raised over $24,000. "This is Amelia Yu, 5 years old, and the last photos taken before her accident," states a note from her father. The beautiful child is seen holding a cat in her arms. "She was a kind and lovely girl who loves animals, dancing, music, and snowboarding," her father wrote. We became aware of the GoFundMe when two media sources began reporting different facts about her death, primarily, that her father did not own the four dogs.

At the time of the fatal mauling, her father was renting a room at the property. The dogs were owned by a different family, according to Christopher Valles, a spokesperson for Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control. During the attack, all four dogs were in the backyard. It is now reported that three dogs were involved, not two. The added dog was a female Doberman. The other two dogs involved were male: a rottweiler and a rottweiler-weimaraner mix. All four dogs are spayed or neutered.

Reportedly, the child visited her father every other weekend. She had previous interactions with the dogs and was known by them. But that is quite different than what police initially reported, which was, "The child had been around the dogs her entire life," sheriff's Lt. Steven De Jong said. Further, Ann Evans, a neighbor, told KABC that her husband encountered the dogs on their property. He informed the homeowner, who leases the property. Evans said the dog owners had moved in over the summer.

Two large dogs seen being taken away from a mansion in Covina after the fatal dog attack.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: U.S. Fatal Rottweiler Attacks By State

Posted on December 2, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Family Dogs Kill 8-Year Old Boy Over the Holiday Weekend in Onslow County, North Carolina

Family dogs killed an 8-year old boy in Onslow County over the holiday weekend.

Suffered Neck Bites
Jacksonville, NC - On Monday, the Onslow County Sheriff's Office issued a press release about a child killed by two family dogs over the holiday weekend. On November 29, 2024, at 2:54 pm, deputies responded to a 911 call to Harris Creek Road regarding a dog attacking a minor, states the release. Arriving deputies found the boy, who had sustained "bite marks on the neck." Life-saving measures were performed before transporting the boy to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, where he died.

Investigators said the child and a sibling were letting the dogs out of the home to use the bathroom when the attack occurred. The two dogs were identified as pit bull-great dane mixes. "Family members of the victim stated the dogs did not show signs of aggressive behaviors prior to the attack," states the release. The dogs were not known to Onslow County Animal Control or area law enforcement prior to the fatal mauling. Both canines were secured by animal control and are being held in quarantine.

FATAL DOG ATTACK TRAGICALLY CLAIMS LIFE OF MINOR
Onslow County – It is with profound sadness that the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office reports the death of a minor following a fatal dog attack in Jacksonville last week.
On Friday, November 29, 2024, at 2:54 p.m., deputies responded to a 911 call to Harris Creek Road in Jacksonville regarding a dog attacking a minor.

When deputies arrived, they found an 8-year-old boy suffering from bite marks on the neck. Emergency Medical Services performed life-saving measures on the scene before transferring the child to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune. Despite swift actions by first responders, the child succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.

Investigators determined the child and a sibling were letting the dogs out of the residence to use the bathroom when the attack occurred. Family members of the victim stated the dogs did not show signs of aggressive behaviors prior to the attack. Neither law enforcement nor Onslow County Animal Control has experienced interactions with the dogs prior to the incident.

The dogs were identified as a Pit Bull/Great Dane mix. Both dogs were secured and have been quarantined by animal control.

“This is an unimaginable tragedy for the family and our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this incredibly difficult time,” said Sheriff Chris Thomas.

The case remains an open investigation and additional information will be released as the investigation allows.

We urge residents to remain vigilant and ensure the safety of their families and pets. - Onslow County Sheriff's Office, Dec. 2, 2024

GoFundMe Created for "Caleb"

We were notified over the weekend about two GoFundMe campaigns created for the child victim identified as Caleb. One does not mention the dog attack, "Caleb (8) was a son, brother, grandson, cousin, nephew and the sweetest friend. He was a light in this world, and if you knew him, you were lucky." This fund has raised over $15,000 as of Sunday. The other campaign, created by the boy's uncle, states that Caleb died "unexpectedly to a dog attack." This fund has raised under $1,000.

The funds helped us identify the child's parents on social media. We were able to obtain an image of one of the "pit bull-great dane" mixes. On September 26, 2024, the child's stepmother posted to the Jacksonville NC, Lost and Found Pets Facebook group that her "pit bull Xena" (she did not identify the dog as a "pit bull-great dane" mix) had "run off" again. One commenter even asked, "Is this an old post or did she get loose again?" Xena had gotten loose again. The sex of the other dog is unknown.

family dogs kill boy onslow county, north carolina

One of the family's pit bulls had bolted from the home multiple times before the fatal attack.

family dogs kill 8-year old boy onslow county

The day after Thanksgiving Day, two family dogs killed 8-year old Caleb Brown outside of a residence on Harris Creek Road in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: North Carolina Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.

Posted on November 25, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

Dog Bite Fatality Suspected: Woman Killed by Dog in the 16th Police District of Philadelphia

A 51-year old woman was found dead in the 16th Police District of Philadelphia.

Citizen App
Philadelphia, PA - Earlier today, Citizen App announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, a fatal dog attack in the 4100 block of Parrish Street in the Mantua section of West Philadelphia. Audio dispatch log files from Philadelphia Police Dispatch - West, the 16th District, add more information. "4115 Parrish Street ... for a female attacked by a dog," the dispatcher states. "The female was pronounced at 12:15 by Medic 26. The dog is contained. They have one male in custody ... There is a [scene] inside."

We were first alerted to this attack by a retired Philadelphia police officer, who now writes the Gorman Growl blog, according to his Facebook page. He heard the same audio dispatch log file as us. The last fatal dog attack in the city also occurred in West Philadelphia, about three miles away. Antonio Shaw, 63, died two months after being attacked by two pit bulls on North 62nd Street. While being treated at Lankenau Hospital, he underwent 15 surgeries and doctors had to amputate one of his legs.

CBS News Philadelphia was the first mainstream media outlet to report this attack. The victim is 51-years old. Police said she was often at the West Philadelphia home. Four pit bulls are seen being led from the Parrish Street residence in red leashes. Sources told CBS that the victim had a good relationship with the dogs. The number of dog bites she sustained is unknown. Her death is being characterized as a death investigation. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

NBC reports the victim is a mother of five. She lives at the home on Parrish Street with her five dogs. After family members had not heard from her for a day or so, one of her sons stopped by the home to check on her and found her unresponsive. Family members believe their mother was killed and that this is a homicide investigation. During this news report, police stood outside of the front door that remained open, waiting for the medical examiner to arrive. The attack occurred inside the home.

Four pit bulls seen being led from the home on Parrish Street, where a woman died.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Pennsylvania Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.

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