Friday, June 27, 2014

Vernon Hills police kill pit bull after attack

ILLINOIS -- A Vernon Hills police officer shot and killed a charging pit bull this morning after the dog attacked a 56-year-old woman and another dog, according to Vernon Hills police.

At about 9:30 a.m., Vernon Hills police responded to a call of a dog attacking a person near Harrison Court and Whitney Place, the police news release said.

Upon arriving, police found a 56-year-old woman "crying in pain and bleeding from both hands."

The woman had been walking her dog, a miniature Doberman pinscher, when it was attacked by a stray pit bull, according to the news release.

When the woman intervened, the pit bull bit both of her hands, authorities said.

The pit bull ran off after several nearby people came to the woman's assistance, the release said.

But as she was being tended to by paramedics, the pit bull returned and began running toward her again, authorities said. People yelled for the dog to stop, but it continued to charge.

A police officer fired one shot and killed the pit bull, the release said.

"That thing just kept coming," said Kim Christenson, spokesman for the Vernon Hills Police Department. "It was very obvious something had to be done."

Authorities said Elizabeth Sutila, 31, of the 400 block of Stevenson Place in Vernon Hills, was charged with two ordinance violations as the pit bull's owner – having a stray dog and maintaining a vicious animal. She's scheduled to appear in Lake County branch court in Mundelein on Aug. 14, according to the release.

Sutila told police she had been preparing to take her dog for a walk when it "pushed past her and ran out an open door," the release said.

The victim was taken to Advocate Medical Center in Libertyville, the news release said.

The injured dog ran into a nearby home after being attacked and eventually was taken to a local animal hospital, authorities said.

Christenson said he didn't know if the victim's dog survived but that it appeared to be "pretty badly injured."

Sutila could not immediately be reached for comment.

Pit bull attacks are uncommon in Vernon Hills, Christenson said.

"Never in my recollection have we had to shoot a dog," he said.

(Chicago Tribune - June 27, 2014)

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