New York: Police say James Cruz, 34, purposely sicced his pit bull on his ex-girlfriend

NEW YORK -- A Rochester man was charged in connection with a "brutal" dog mauling that severely injured his girlfriend on Rockview Terrace last November.

Jamie Cruz (aka James Cruz), 34, was charged with first-degree assault after he allegedly instigated an attack.

Around 1:07 a.m. on Nov. 30, officers responded to 130 Rockview Terrace for the report of a dog attacking a woman.

 

 

 

Officers found a "large pit bull, actively attacking the victim," a release said. "The victim was barely conscious and severely injured."

Police said officers needed to shoot and kill the dog to save the victim's life. During the incident, Cruz was "accidentally hit by a projectile fired from an officer's weapon."

Police reported that the victim has undergone 10 surgeries and has remained in the hospital since the attack.

 

 

 

This is Cruz with the pit bull that attacked Schaffer

RPD's Major Crimes Unit worked to determine how the dog attack began.

Cruz allegedly was involved in a domestic dispute with the victim before the attack.

"While the victim was attempting to leave the location, Cruz intentionally released the dog from a cage, resulting in the dog exiting the cage and brutally attacking the victim," a release said.

 

 

(Democrat and Chronicle - Jan 6, 2017)

Earlier:

• New York: Woman mauled by her boyfriend's pit bull is in critical condition; police shot and killed dog
• New York: Thomas Simonsen says pit bulls attack ONLY when they've been trained. What about all the people and their children mauled by their pit bulls, who they'd raised, with love, from a puppy?
• New York: Woman who was attacked by her boyfriend's pit bull had to have her arm amputated