SAVANNAH, GA (June 22, 2011): A second pit bull that attacked a group of children in an East Savannah park has been captured but a 7-year-old victim remains in critical condition.
Javon Roberson, 7, is in intensive care at Memorial University Medical Center after the 8 p.m. incident Tuesday in which the two dogs entered Treat Park at Treat Avenue and Gabel Street and attacked the children playing on gym equipment.
The dogs nipped at the clothing of a young girl who climbed atop a double slide with a gym on top of it to get away. The dogs pulled Javon off the swing and began biting his face and legs.
Bystanders used bricks to beat the smaller of the two dogs unconscious to get her to release her hold on the child’s face. The other dog went after other children on the sliding board until neighbors chased it away by hitting it with bricks and firing a gun at it.
The larger dog ran a block to the end of Gabel Street where she was shot by a Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Animal Control officer using a tranquilizer gun. She ran into a thickly wooded area and hid from patrol and animal control until officers from the Islands Precinct located her before 7 a.m. today. Animal control soon captured her.
The dogs wore collars but no identifying tags. The smaller dog was euthanized and was sent to Chatham County Environmental Health to be checked for rabies. The larger dog will be quarantined for 10 days.
Police are seeking the owner of the two dogs. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637). In the body type, include “CStop2020” plus the tip. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.
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