On Monday morning, L.A. County sheriff’s deputies shot a pit bull in Lancaster, resulting in the dog’s death. This incident occurred in the 43200 block of 20th Street West. The dog was attacking a man, prompting the call to 911, reported by authorities.
Deputies responded to the scene around 9:53 a.m. Upon their arrival, they noticed the pit bull aggressively attacking an unresponsive man lying in a home’s front yard. The area was enclosed with a fence, and the gate was locked. Despite attempts by a deputy to halt the assault using verbal commands, the dog continued its attack. Consequently, the deputy fired at the dog, immediately stopping the incident.
The pit bull was declared dead at the scene. Emergency services transported the attacked man to a nearby hospital, where he was listed as stable later that evening. The sheriff’s department mentioned the dog belonged to a family member residing with the victim. An investigation into the attack is ongoing, with L.A. County Animal Control taking possession of the deceased dog.
Lancaster Station Capt. Paul Bartlett commended the deputies for their quick and effective response, stating, “Our deputies confronted a life-threatening emergency, taking swift action to save a man’s life. After stopping the attack, they provided essential medical care until firefighters arrived.”
This event follows a similar incident last July, where a man was fatally attacked by two pit bulls in Lancaster. During that attack, a deputy also shot a pit bull, allowing paramedics access to the victim, who later died from his injuries.
Clara Harter, who covers breaking news for the Los Angeles Times, reported this story. Previously, she worked with the L.A. Daily News on politics and education.