A FEROCIOUS “pitbull” savaged a schoolgirl and a pizza delivery man in a bloody street rampage before being shot dead by police, witnesses say.
Armed officers were forced to open fire as the animal terrorised the street in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on Friday night.
Sand covers the dog’s blood left behind after it was shot dead by police on a doorstep[/caption]
Neighbours said it had been on the loose for some hours before it went for a teen girl as she walked along a pavement with two pals.
Manchester Evening News reports the dog can be seen on CCTV lunging at the girl moments after she appeared to bend down to stroke it.
As she turned to run, the dog attacked her again, causing her to fall to the pavement.
Witnesses said the teenager suffered bite wounds to her arm and leg.
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Moments later the dog attacked a pizza delivery driver was was reportedly bitten on the leg as he got out of his car.
It then cowered under a caravan on the street for around 45 minutes, before being shot dead on a doorstep around 20 yards away.
One local resident told the M.E.N: “The police told me it was an American pitbull. I first saw it about 7pm, just sat on the pavement. I’ve never seen it before.
“Two teenage girls were walking down the street with a young lad. I think one of the girls tried to interact with it and it just started running after her.
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“She fell down and I think that’s when it attacked her. She was bleeding from her arm and her leg and she dropped her phone on the pavement.”
They added: “Then the delivery driver pulled up. He didn’t realise there was a dog on the loose. It went straight for him.
“My brother was shouting ‘run’ and he just ran straight into the house opposite.”
The neighbour said police tried to help the dog out from under the caravan as it hid.
When it came towards a female officer she reportedly tasered the animal.
We all sit outside on a night and there’s always kids playing. If it had got hold of a kid the consequences could have been a lot worse.
Local resident
The dog is then said to have started running and police “just shot it”.
Locals said the black and grey dog first first seen roaming the street at around 7pm.
Police arrived after the attacks at about 9.30pm and told everyone to stay inside.
One resident told M.E.N: “This is a busy street.
“We all sit outside on a night and there’s always kids playing. If it had got hold of a kid the consequences could have been a lot worse.”
Greater Manchester Police said no one was seriously injured in the attacks.
The force said: “Police were called to reports of a dog loose on Morley Street, Rochdale.
“Officers attended and found that two members of the public had been bitten by the dog who was acting in an aggressive manner.
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“Unfortunately, due to the nature of the incident, the dog was humanely destroyed as a safety precaution due to the number of people in the area and the injuries caused.
“Enquiries are ongoing. No serious injuries were reported.”
Witnesses said the dog was an American pitbull (stock image used)[/caption]
