Taquiesha Johnson and her daughter Zakyria were walking to a store Tuesday night along Joseph E. Boone Boulevard when the mother says a pit bull went after them.
"When the dog came out of nowhere – gray pit bull – came and take my child," said Johnson.
Johnson's motherly instincts kicked in and she did what she could to fend off the animal.
"Kicking, punching -- everything. Everything I could possibly to do to get that dog off me and my child," said Johnson.
Police officers were already in the area responding to an unrelated call when several people got their attention by waving and pointing down the street, said Atlanta Police Officer Kim Jones.
"Officers then observed a Pit Bull that was attacking a woman who was holding a 2-year-old child,” Officer Jones said, “The dog was attempting to bite the child and several times during the incident the dog was successful in grabbing the child’s clothing and tugging on the child.”
Then for a brief moment the woman was able to break free from the Pit Bull. It was the opening the officer needed as he moved to protect the woman and child. “The officer fired his weapon several times, killing the dog,” Officer Jones said.
"This was a good shoot. The dog was actually attacking the woman and the officer kept the woman and the child from further injury," said Officer John Chaffee of the Atlanta Police Department.
The mother and child suffered minor injuries.
"The dog scratched her all in the mouth, her nose and on her face and really tried to bite her on her thigh, tried to get a grip on her thigh. And me, basically scratches on my leg from where I fell on the ground," said Johnson.
Johnson knows the outcome could have been much worse.
"I was scared. But at the same time I didn't want the dog to bite my child. I was scared," said Johnson.
Some neighbors said violent strays are rare in the area, others said they've called animal control about this particular attacking dog. They also said that despite efforts to distract the animal and get it away from little Zakyria, it wouldn't have calmed down.
"I'm a person that loves animals, and as I was driving later, I was wondering if it could have been avoided but no it couldn't have, because I think he was gonna attack me, there were other people around. Everyone was terrified," said Frances Salett, a neighbor.
Those neighbors and police say they shudder to think what would have happened if the officer responding to another call nearby hadn't stopped.
"It certainly was a dangerous situation - this was a pit bull and a 2-year-old child, and the dog was clearly intent on attacking the child," said Chaffee.
"I think he's a hero. I'm glad that he did it because there's no telling what could have happened to that little girl" said Charles Atkinson.
The shooting is under routine investigation. Police say they don't know who, if anyone, the dog belonged to, and think it could have been a stray.
(myFoxAtlanta - August 8, 2012)
