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WEBVTT MEREDITH: A DOG IS DEAD ANDTHREE PEOPLE ARE BEING TREATEDFOR DOG BITES AFTER A MANSHOWED UP IN A BACKYARD DOWNTHIS ALLEY WITH A SAWED-OFFSHOTGUNPOLICE SAY THEY DON'T KNOW WHY AMAN SHOWED UP AT A HOUSE WITH AGUN.>> THE FAMILY STARTED FIGHTINGWITH HIM WITH THE SAWED-OFFSHOTGUN.A SHOT WAS FIRED FROM THESHOTGUN.THE FAMILY'S DOG STARTEDATTACKING.MEREDITH: THE PITBULL BIT THEGUNMAN, BUT DIDN'T STOP THERE,INJURING TWO FAMILY MEMBERS ASWELL.>> WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED, THEYHAD TO PUT DOWN THE DOG FOR THESAFETY OF EVERYBODY INVOLVEDBECAUSE IT WAS BITING EVERYBODYAT THAT POINT. MEREDITH: DOZENS OF POLICE,SEVERAL AMBULANCES AND THE FIREDEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO WHATCAME IN AS A CALL OF THREEPEOPLE SHOT INSTEAD OF ATTACKEDBY A DOG.>> EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING WASRESPONDING AT THAT POINT,BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL THAT ISWAS A MASS SHOOTING OR A MASSCASUALTY INCIDENT.MEREDITH: ALL THE DOG BITEVICTIMS WERE TAKEN TO THEHOSPITAL.THE MAN WITH THE SAWED-OFF

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A chaotic scene on the 600 block of South Lime Street in Lancaster ended with three people hospitalized and a pit bull shot and killed.Tuesday afternoon, police responded to a call of three people shot. When they arrived, they found that was not the case - but three people had been bitten by a dog. Officers were forced to put the dog down, according to Lancaster Police Captain Jarrad Berkihiser. Berkihiser said the incident started with a man carrying a sawed-off shotgun along South Lime Street."We had an individual that showed up and started a disturbance with a sawed-off shotgun. The family started fighting with him, with the sawed-off shotgun. A shot was fired ... the family's dog started attacking pretty much family members and the guy who showed up with the shotgun," Berkihiser said.Berkihiser said the three injured people were taken to the hospital. One of them was arrested. Police have not identified him, but did say he was a Lancaster City resident.Read more from police: "Callers to 911 initially reported that people were shooting at a house and that there was a male with a shotgun in a rear yard of a home. A separate caller said that 2-3 people had been shot. Officers arrived to the rear yard of a home on the odd-numbered/east side of the street. The first Officer into the rear yard saw two males and a female on a pile on the ground. A dog was actively biting people on their faces and heads. A bystander had been attempting to pull the dog away but the dog was not wearing a collar and could not be restrained or secured. The dog's owner was one of the people that had been bit and was in the pile of three people in the yard.The dog's owner told the Officer to shoot his dog because the dog would not stop biting. The Officer waited until the dog's body was clear and discharged his duty weapon, shooting the dog in order to stop it from biting anyone else. The 3 people that were in the yard were separated. All (3) were suffering some level of injuries due to dog bites. None of the people involved had been shot. Officers spoke with witnesses and learned that a male had come to the residence on S. Lime St. in order to confront his brother. The suspect brandished a sawed-off shotgun and pointed it as his brother. A struggle ensued between the brothers for the shotgun. The victim's wife joined in the struggle for the shotgun. The wife was in possession of a small machete and was used it by striking the suspect on the back of his head in order to separate the suspect from the shotgun and her husband. The victim's dog managed to get loose and bit both owners and the suspect during the struggle for the shotgun. After several minutes of struggling, the suspect managed to discharge a round from the shotgun. Fortunately, no one was struck by the gunfire. The struggle for the gun continued as all three people were still on the ground. A bystander attempted to secure the dog by grabbing it by the skin but he could not secure the dog. The dog kept getting loose and biting the victims and suspect.Even though Officers were on-scene in less than 2 minutes after the time of dispatch, he struggle between the victims and suspect lasted several minutes before the first Officer arrived. The victims and suspect were all transported to a local hospital for treatment. The injuries received by all (3) do not appear to be life threatening. This incident is still under investigation. Detectives are currently in consultation with the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office. Once charges have been approved and filed, the suspect's name will be released. A supplemental news release will be published at that point."News 8's Meredith Jorgensen is following this story. Get updates from her on Facebook here.Like News 8 on Facebook I Follow @WGAL on Twitter I Download our mobile appBerkihiser also said that the initial response to the call was very strong, with multiple officers and even the fire department, because of the initial false report, which indicated three people had been shot. Again, three people were bitten, not shot.