Child mauled by dog in Boston; off-duty officer stops attack, authorities say

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — An 11-year-old boy is undergoing surgery after he was mauled by a dog in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, according to authorities.

Boston Police Commissioner William Gross says an off-duty police officer heard the sounds of screaming in the area of Davidson Avenue and Rockfield Terrace at 12:09 p.m. Wednesday, and the officer saw a pit bull attacking the child in a back yard.

According to Gross, the officer intervened and fired his department-issued gun in order to stop the attack from continuing. It is not clear at this time if the dog or child was struck by gunfire, the commissioner says.

The boy was taken to an area hospital by Boston Emergency Medical Services. Gross says the child suffered bites to his neck, arm and groin, and is being treated for “vicious injuries.”

“Thank God the officer was there to intervene because if he didn’t, the dog was going to continue to attack this child,” Gross said. “There was also another pit bull being restrained by an individual that I’m confident would have joined in the attack, as well.”

“We need to be really grateful that a Boston police officer intervened in this circumstance,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins. “There’s an 11-year-old child we are hopeful will make it, but has been harmed significantly. But for the bravery of this officer, we might be having a very different press conference right now.”

Gross says the two dogs are being detained by authorities, and says police have received several calls regarding unleashed dogs in the area where the attack happened.

The officer was taken to the hospital for observation.

The shooting will be investigated by the Boston Police Firearms Discharge Investigative Team, which will report to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

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