Man Accidentally Kills Friend With Crossbow While Trying To Save Him From Attacking Pit Bulls, Police Say

A Massachusetts man accidentally shot and killed a friend with a crossbow while trying to save the man from attacking pit bulls, police say.

The incident took place in Berkshire, where 27-year-old Joshua Jadusingh was reportedly being attacked by the large animals. As CBS News reported, a friend who lived nearby heard the commotion and went into his apartment to retrieve a crossbow, which he legally owned and used for hunting. The man then stood at the bottom of a stairwell and fired the crossbow up toward the animal, barely striking the dog and proceeding to go through a door where Jadusingh was attempting to barricade himself, the report explained.

As the report noted, the dogs belonged to the victim and his girlfriend, two pit bulls that were normally kept in separate cages because they were known to fight. One of the dogs had also once attacked another person, who ended up needing medical attention, the report continued.

When police arrived at the scene after the dogs began attacking Jadusingh, they continued to be aggressive and reportedly attacked police officers. Both of the dogs were shot and killed by officers, police said.

This is the latest pit bull-related story to make national headlines. A number of other attacks have garnered significant interest from the media, including a 2018 incident in which a 7-month-old girl was killed by a pit bull mix at her grandparents’ house. Police said they were babysitting the baby when the dog attacked, Tampabay reported.

Earlier that year, another Florida girl was attacked and killed by her family dog. She was only an 8-month-old baby. The girl’s grandmother was walking the family’s three pit bulls when one of them pulled away from her and began to attack the baby, who was seated in a bouncy chair inside a family bedroom.

These attacks have generated controversy, with some calling for the breed to be restricted and advocates saying they are no more harmful than other breeds. But pit bulls have been involved in a disproportionate number of attacks, Time noted. Though the breed makes up just six percent of the dog population, pit bulls are responsible for 52 percent of all dog-related deaths and 68 percent of all dog attacks since 1982.

Police in Massachusetts said they are investigating Judusingh’s death, but there is no indication that the man who fired the crossbow could face criminal charges. Investigators described him as a “good Samaritan” who is working with police.