Woman Badly Hurt, Philadelphia Police Officer Grazed By Bullet During Dog Attack

An elderly woman suffered serious injuries and a police officer was hurt Friday afternoon when a dog attacked the woman in North Philadelphia.

The dog bit the 80-year-old woman on both legs, severely injuring her at a house in the 2900 block of North Judson Street, police Commissioner Richard Ross told reporters.

Police responded, and as an officer shot at the dog, a bullet ricocheted. Officer Kevin Fay, 34 and a 4-year veteran of the department assigned to the 39th district, was hit in his left shin.

He was released from the hospital Friday afternoon.

The woman was transported to the hospital in critical condition. "We’re really worried about the citizen who was really torn up pretty badly by this dog," said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who visited the police officer at the hospital. "I think our officer saved her life, and hopefully she can hang on."

Neither the woman nor the officer were initially identified. The dog was killed. Police said it belonged to the woman's granddaughter.