- The dogs — five adult pit bulls and eight puppy pit bulls — are now in the care of animal control
- The video showed a woman escaping the yard over a high wall after the attack while police and firefighters captured the dogs
Shocking photos have captured the chaotic and gruesome aftermath of a fatal dog attack in which a man was mauled to death by his 13 pit bulls in his Los Angeles yard.
LAPD officers were called to the home in the 900 block of Thorson Avenue in Compton at 7 a.m. Friday after a concerned friend went to the home and discovered his body.
Officers believe he was a breeder and had gone into the yard to feed the dogs on Thursday evening when a fight broke out between the animals and they turned on him.
Helicopter footage showed his bloodied body lying face down in one of the enclosures in his yard while five adult pit bulls and eight puppies ran around and fought.
The man's identity has not been released, but neighbors told local news he was a 35-year-old man who lived alone.
The man's body was found face down in one of the enclosures in his backyard
The dogs could be seen running and fighting across the yard as officers tried to restrain them
His girlfriend called police early Friday and said, “Your friend was seen in the backyard and appeared to have been mauled by his dog.”
Police, firefighters and animal rights activists then made their way to the house and climbed over the roof to get into the yard and round up the dogs.
They found five adults and eight puppies – aged between four and six months – and herded them into a neighboring yard to get to the man's body.
Meanwhile, a woman who had somehow gotten into the yard tried to climb a wall to get out and had to be assisted by firefighters.
Michael Gomez of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau told KTLA5, “He was feeding the dogs, after which there may have been an altercation between some of the dogs and them.” [they] ultimately attacked and abused the victim.'
LA County Animal Care & Control said, “Preliminary information indicates that the deceased individual was involved in the breeding and sale of pit bulls.”
The victim's father has now handed the dogs over to animal welfare authorities for “seizure and examination”.
DACC Director Marcia Mayeda told KTLA5, “Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim.”
Officers climbed over the roof to get into the yard and found five adult dogs and eight puppies
Firefighters helped a woman who somehow got into the backyard climb over the wall
The victim's father turned the dogs over to animal control for seizure and examination
“We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to establish the facts and ensure the safety and welfare of both the community and the animals involved.”
Damian Wesley of Compton Animal Rescue told the outlet: “I hope awareness spreads that people need to take good care of their dogs.”
“People need to understand that these dogs can kill someone and hurt people.”
There have been no reports of the dogs attacking people, but a neighbor told Fox News that some of the dogs have gotten out and attacked his chickens before.
There are no statewide bans on unneutered pit bulls in California. Some cities have adopted specific rules themselves, but not Compton.
Shocking photos show the aftermath of a horrific pit bull attack in which an LA breeder was brutally mauled to death by a pack of 13 dogs as he tried to feed them in a backyard kennel