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On Wednesday, Texas authorities responded to the scene of a “brutal dog attack,” where a 4-year-old boy was killed and another person was injured.
After arriving at around 7:40 a.m., Baytown Police officers learned that the second victim, identified as a “resident of the home,” was injured while trying to rescue the child, who was staying at the home when the attack occurred.
Emergency medical services treated the little boy on scene before he was sent to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to PEOPLE, multiple outlets report the dogs were pit bulls. CBS affiliate KHOU 11 reports that the child was the nephew of a woman who lived in the home.
“[The woman] was heartbroken. She was crying. She couldn’t believe it,” neighbor Yadi Rodriguez told the outlet. “I was with her on the phone, and all I heard was her voice breaking because she couldn’t believe it. She was like, ‘I can’t believe my own dog did that,’ and they’ve had him for a while.”
Rodriguez told NBC affiliate KPRC 2 that the dogs were known to have a friendly disposition.
“They’ve had them for a while, those dogs were not new,” she said. “I don’t know if maybe the little kid provoked them or something. It’s still sad.”
KHOU 11 reports that two adult dogs and two puppies have been taken from the home, and that local detectives have opened an investigation.
Baytown Police Chief John Stringer shared a statement with PEOPLE following the tragic incident.
“Today Baytown Police Officers worked a call that every officer dreads, the death of a child. We are heartbroken for the loss of this child,” Stringer said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in the community who has been impacted by this tragedy.”
