PORTLAND, OR – A fatal dog attack resulted in the death of a 6-year-old boy on Tuesday morning, according to authorities in Portland. The boy’s identity remains undisclosed. Portland Police Bureau (PPB) received reports of a canine attack around 7:38 a.m. in the Parkrose Heights neighborhood. After arriving at the scene, police were greeted by a woman- the dogs’ owner.
The woman sustained minor injuries and was later hospitalized. She was said to have done everything within her power to stop the attack, including reaching for a firearm. When police initially arrived, officers witnessed that her hands were reportedly soiled with blood from her efforts to prevent the violent mauling.
The attack involved two dogs, described as large Great Dane-mastiff mixes by police. Both dogs have been euthanized since the incident. A third dog, present in the home at the time of the child’s death, remains in the custody of Multnomah County Animal Services as further investigations proceed.
According to reports, the boy’s grandmother had dropped him off at the dog owner’s home that morning to be taken to school. The owner was in the garage with her three dogs when the tragedy took place. After the boy opened the garage door, the two dogs viciously lunged at him.
The lethal attack left local residents in disbelief. Neighbor Sergey Dengub, who had previous encounters with the dogs, made a statement claiming that the dogs had been friendly in his previous encounters with them.