What to Know
- Two dogs attacked a man in the middle of a North Philadelphia street early Monday.
- Three officers opened fire on the dogs to stop the attack. One dog was killed and the other was struck by gunfire, but ran away.
- The man suffered serious injuries. Officers used two tourniquets to stop heavy bleeding from the man's wounds.
A man suffered serious injuries when two large dogs attacked him in the middle of a North Philadelphia street early Monday. Quick action by police may have saved his life.
The man in his 50s was attacked just after 4:30 a.m. at 6th and Tioga streets. A bullmastiff weighing 100 lbs. and a pit bull bit the man several times on his arms and leg, police said.
The man was pulled to the ground by the dogs and shaken during the mauling. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said the wounds were very deep with bone visible through the puncture wounds.
Police were called when the man was heard screaming. Three officers arrived quickly and used their service weapons to stop the dogs.
The bullmastiff was immediately killed, Small said. The pit bull was struck by a bullet, but escaped.
The man was bleeding heavily after the attack so officers used two tourniquets to stem the flow of blood. They rushed the man to Temple University Hospital. He was last listed in critical condition.
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It's not yet clear who owned the dogs and where they came from. Surveillance cameras did capture the attack and shooting on video.
A witness is also speaking to police, Small said.
