Four-year-old mauled to death by ‘one or two’ pit bulls | US News

The deadly attack took place on Wednesday afternoon around 3.00pm while the child was playing in his backyard in west Detroit.

Detroit Police Department (DPD) investigators believe the dog or dogs got into the backyard from behind the residential home.

‘We’re not sure if it’s one or two dogs, but Animal Control has two dogs in custody,’ DPD Corporal Dan Donakowski said.

‘It’s believed that the dogs belonged to a neighbor behind where the victim lived, but as far as how it happened, we’re unsure at this time,’ Donakowski said.

The child was identified as a four-year-old boy. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

DPD Commander Arnold Williams told reporters at the scene that the dog ‘tried to pull the child under a gate of a fence.’

‘Any time that we have an event like this, it reminds everybody that if you do have a dog – secure your dog. Make sure your dog can’t get out. That’s the most important thing,’ Williams said.

The dogs were identified as either pit bulls or pit bull mixes.

The attack comes after a series of dog attacks in the United Kingdom involving pit bulls and breeds derived from them, including the American XL bully.

Earlier this month, a seven-year-old in Edinburgh was injured after being attacked by a pit bull while playing at a playground.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has endorsed a ban on the breed.

’It’s clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs,’ Sunak said. ‘It’s a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.’

Pit bulls have been banned in the UK since 1991.

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