A Los Angeles police officer fatally shot two pit bulls and injured a third Wednesday as the animals mauled a man and his dog in downtown’s skid row neighborhood, authorities said.

The brutal attack occurred about 8:30 a.m. when police received a report of a man down in the 500 block of Stanford Avenue, said Officer Jenny Houser, an LAPD spokeswoman.

When officers arrived, they saw three pit bulls attacking the victim and his small dog, she said.

One of the officers pulled out his handgun and, “for the preservation of the victim’s life,” shot all three pit bulls, Houser said.


Two dogs died at the scene. The third dog was taken away by Animal Control officers. The dog’s condition was not immediately known.

The victim, a man in his 50s, was hospitalized for multiple bite wounds, she said.

The victim’s dog died at the scene.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com


Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

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