It happened at Treat park, on the corner of Treat avenue and Gable street, just after 8 o clock Tuesday night.
It started with screaming from a half dozen kids playing in the park. Witnesses say two dogs charged the group, one boy couldn't get away.
"We got to the edge of the fence and saw the dog had the little boy by the neck, he was slinging him and dragging him," remembers Herbert Swain.
That's when Herbert Swain and Henry Murphy went into action.
"Mr. Murphy jumped the dog and was beating the dog in the head," explained Swain. "Beating him and he still wouldn't give. I was afraid at first then I was in shock. But my partner made the move. He was in trouble and I had to do something."
"He had him by the neck and he was not going to let him go. He would have killed the boy," said Swain. "I came over and was able to take a big block, hit him in the head, knock him out. Then was able to hit him in the face 2 times with a 32 pistol. He stopped then."
Stopped long enough for the men to grab the boy, whose bloody body was wrapped in a shirt and get him medical help.
The 7 year old was taken to Memorial Medical Center and is being treated for severe facial wounds. Those injuries are not considered life threatening.
Both dogs were shot, one was found unconscious in the park, the other tranquilized by an animal control officer, but ran into the woods.
SCMPD’s Violent Crimes Division has begun an investigation to identify the owner of the two dogs that attacked the children.
Folks in the area say they reported these same dogs attacking someone just six weeks ago but apparently that did not stop them from getting loose and attacking again.
(WSAV - June 21, 2011)
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