NEW YORK -- When Maureen Martin looked out from her second-floor apartment on Wednesday night, she saw a pack of dogs attacking her neighbor.
“Another big dog came and they just threw him on the floor and they were eating the guy,” Martin said.
Police said two Rottweiler’s and a Wheaton terrier mix attacked Craig Jones as he walked along East 4th Street around 9:30 p.m.
As CBS 2′s Lou Young reports, Jones, a 38-year-old electrician, was returning returning home from the grocery store when the dog pack struck. His most serious injuries are too gruesome for television.
“I saw three huge dogs on top of him and he was just screaming. He was already bloody. His leg was being ripped open,” witness Dee Dee Smith said.
The victim was just trying to get to his front door but the dogs kept attacking. They brought him down, chewed him up and began dragging him back toward the street. Horrified neighbors alerted by his screams began throwing things out the window. A brick finally hit one of the dogs and seemed to break the spell.
“I was right there hanging out of my living room window and I about fell out. That’s how close to him. I’m still scared. I don’t even want to go grocery shopping today I’m so scared,” Smith said.
Responding Mount Vernon Police officers shot and killed one of the animals and captured another. Witnesses said the third dog got away.
“That could have been my baby. That could have been anyone. I’m very upset about it,” neighbor Joan Murray said.
Police told Young the dogs escaped from an auto body shop. Two of the same animals were involved in the August dog pack killing of neighbors’ pet Yorkie.
That dog’s owner said Wednesday night’s attack could’ve been prevented.
“They should’ve been put down most definitely. Something should’ve been done and I had a feeling something like this was gonna happen again,” Eric Coleman said.
“I still hurt from losing that dog. This should not have happened. This could have been avoided,” Deana Young told 1010 WINS’ Maloney.
Deana Young blames the city of Mount Vernon for not doing anything.
“You cannot have a pack of dogs like that and not expect something like this to happen,” Deana Young said.
A police spokesman said after the August attack the dogs were returned to the owner by court order. So far no formal charges have been filed, but the animal remains in quarantine at the animal shelter.
The dogs’ owner was not at the auto body shop when the animals escaped, police said. An employee apparently left a gate open.
Medical officials transported Jones to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx where he was treated for serious injuries to his head and legs. He was listed in stable condition.
“He had some pretty significant injuries to his leg area as well as his head,” Police Capt. Edward Adinaro said.
(CBSLocal - Jan 6, 2011)
