On Wednesday, December 2nd, a four year old boy was viciously attacked and killed by four pit bull dogs in Detroit, Michigan's west side. The boy was walking with his mother at John C. Lodge Service Drive and Baylis Street around 12:30 P.M. when the incident occurred. As they were walking, two pit bull dogs approached them and started to brutally attack the child. His mother tried to protect the young boy with a metal rod, but it was not enough to back off the raging pit bulls. Immediately, two more pit bulls joined the previous two pit bulls in ripping apart the child in front his helpless mother.
One of the neighbors heard the mother crying, "Please help me get the dogs off my baby!” and tried to help her. However, the four pit bulls were so aggressive that they didn't let anyone approach them. Detroit Police arrived as fast as they could and shot and killed three of the dogs. The fourth dog was taken into a custody. It was reported that the four pit bulls themselves were a family consisting of two parents and their two puppies.
The child, who remains unnamed, was sent quickly to the hospital for treatment, but unfortunately died from his injuries. The owner of the raging dogs, a 41-years old man, was arrested for negligent homicide.
According to the blog, Dogs Bite, "71% of the pit bull fatalities have occurred in the past 10 years; 42% in the past four years; 24% in the past two years." Detroit is especially known for citizens who keep pit bulls as pets. Unfortunately, many owners can't handle this tough breed and end up abandoning them, causing them to become wild in the street. This abundance of wild dogs cause many Michiganders to mistakenly believe that only wild dogs can be dangerous. Any dog, especially pit bulls, regardless of whether they are free or owned are dangerous. Upon seeing a dog, especially one they are not familiar with, people should immediately walk in the opposite direction or keep as much space between them and the dog as possible. This is the best way to avoid dog bites or even more seriously becoming mauled to death by a feral dog.
If you or someone you know has been attacked by a pit bull or any dog, contact our lawyers at The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our lawyers specialize in all types of injury cases, including dog bites. Calls us today for free consultation at 844.4MI.FIRM.