An elderly man and woman in Modesto, California are in critical condition after four pit bulls reportedly entered their home, attacking and mauling the pair until they were unconscious.
Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson said that deputies arrived at the home on Tuesday night to find the four pit bulls attacking an elderly man in his yard, according to The Daily Mail . Three of the dogs were reportedly mauling the man, while the fourth pit bull circled the attack.
Deputies shot and killed two of the pit bulls, while the other pair fled, startled by the gunfire. Police set up a perimeter to contain the remaining dogs in a neighbor’s yard. When deputies attempted to catch them, the pit bulls attacked, and were killed.
“The dogs were acting in a vicious manner and posed a credible threat to the community,” Christianson noted. “Both were vicious, aggressive and charged (at) the deputies.”
After entering the home, police also located an elderly woman who had been critically injured by the dogs. According to KCRA , the woman suffered from traumatic bite wounds, and the pair were rushed to a hospital. Police are not releasing their names at this time.
“A pitbull is good protection for a lady!” You think so, stranger? LOOK AT HIM. THRILLED TO MEET & LICK EVERY HUMAN. pic.twitter.com/oSVtgcRfQL
— Danielle Henderson (@knottyyarn) October 15, 2014
“We’ve seen bites involving pit bulls before. But never four dogs on a single human being to the point that the victim in this case was unconscious and unresponsive,” Christianson said.
Celeste Vaughn, a neighbor, noted that the pit bulls had frequented the area before, and were known to attack other dogs. Vaughn related that she avoided the dogs, due to their reputation in the community.
Police are working to determine who owns the dogs or if these particular pit bulls have a history of vicious behavior. Stanislaus County Animal Services are assisting detectives, helping to gather evidence.
California man convicted of murder after pit bull attack http://t.co/ybJKll08Um pic.twitter.com/NUNI16rgxd — Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) August 30, 2014
Earlier this year, a Southern California man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after four pit bulls he owned mauled and killed a 63-year-old woman. As the Inquisitr reported, Pamela Devitt suffered between 150 and 200 bites over her body, fatally wounded by the dogs before help could arrive.
While police have not released the names or ages of the victims, investigators are certain that the put bulls did not belong to them.
[Image: Modesto Bee via The Daily Mail ]