A tragic incident occurred in California where a man lost his life after being attacked by his three ‘XL bully’ dogs at a children’s playground. According to the New York Post, the San Diego police received emergency calls around noon about a dog attack at the Mesa Viking Neighborhood Park. Upon reaching the scene, officers found the victim being viciously attacked by the three XL bullies. Despite efforts by onlookers to help, the dogs refused to let go of the man. The intensity of the attack was so severe that one witness mistook it for a police operation to apprehend a violent suspect.
Witness Steve Marto shared, “I just saw they had something trapped in the weeds over here. I thought it was a person at first because they were talking about setting up a perimeter. They were big, like XL bullies, just massive muscle.”
As the brutal attack continued, bystanders tried to intervene using shovels and a golf club to fend off the dogs. However, the dogs remained aggressive, leading the police to use tasers to subdue them. Two of the dogs were captured, but one escaped into the neighborhood, causing nearby Ericson Elementary School to go on lockdown until the dog was located and contained.
A search operation was launched, and the loose dog was eventually found and safely captured. The community breathed a sigh of relief as the situation was brought under control.
The police stated, “The officer was able to break up the dogs. They fled, and the injured male was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.” Unfortunately, the victim, identified as 26-year-old Pedro Luis Ortega, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
The San Diego Humane Society, in collaboration with the police, confirmed the owner’s death as reported by CNN.
The Humane Society expressed their condolences, stating, “The first victim sustained fatal injuries. Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this incredibly difficult time. Upon arrival, our Humane Officers worked closely with SDPD to locate two dogs that were still loose and safely impounded a third dog that had been secured in a vehicle.”
The dogs were placed under mandatory bite quarantine protocols and were later euthanized following standard procedure, as per the Humane Society.
Additionally, a second individual who tried to assist the victim suffered severe bite wounds and was rushed to the hospital for treatment. The Centers for Disease Control reports an average of 43 deaths annually due to dog bites and attacks nationwide.
