An 89-year-old woman was critically injured and her 12-year-old grandson was flown by helicopter to Children’s Hospital after they were attacked by two “pit bulls” in Golden, police said.
The attack happened at about 3:35 p.m. Wednesday in the 15000 block of West 1st Avenue, according to a news release. Officers responded to the area on a report of an animal bite. They found a 12-year-old boy bleeding inside a neighbors house where he had gone for help. The boy’s grandmother was in a backyard where she was being attacked by two dogs.
Officers in the backyard “placed themselves between the dogs and the victim,” the release said, challenging the dogs verbally before using a Taser and a “less lethal” shotgun on the animals.
“Each time the officers approached the victim, the dogs would circle the officers,” police said. “Less lethal options were not effective.”
More officers arrived and were able to hold off the dogs while rescuing the woman from the backyard to awaiting paramedics who were in the kitchen of the home.
The woman was taken to St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood with critical injuries, police said. The boy was also taken to St. Anthony, with serious injuries, and was then flown by helicopter to Children’s Hospital.
The dogs were known to the victims, police said. One of the dogs has been euthanized because of injuries suffered during the incident. The other dog has been placed with the Foothills Animal Shelter in Golden. An investigation is ongoing.
