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Officer Kills 2 Pit Bulls After Glendora Mauling

GLENDORA (CBS) — A Glendora police officer killed two pit bulls Monday that were mauling a 67-year-old man, shooting one of the dogs and striking the other with his patrol car.

The victim, a retired fire captain, was attacked by the dogs while he was on a morning walk in the 1600 block of South Sunflower Avenue about 4 a.m., according to Glendora police Lt. Tim Staab. He was hospitalized with injuries that included puncture wounds to his face, arms, torso, legs and groin, and a separated or broken shoulder. His name was not released.

The "relentless" attack by the dogs was in progress when Glendora police Officer Matt Fenner drove up to the scene, Staab said.

"Due to the quick actions of Officer Fenner, the man was saved from further serious injury and possibly death," Staab said.

The victim told police that he had tried to fight off the animals with his wooden walking stick, but the stick broke in half, Staab said.

"The man stated he was `running out of gas' and his legs began to give out," Staab said. "He said he wouldn't have been able to fight off the two dogs much longer. He stated the two dogs were `relentless,' and he believed the two dogs were going to kill him."

When Fenner arrived on the scene, he saw the man trying to pull himself up over a wall in an attempt to escape, Staab said.

"But the dogs pulled the man back down off the wall," Staab said. "As Officer Fenner drove up, one of the dogs circled around out into the street to attack the man again, and Officer Fenner intentionally hit the dog with his police car in an attempt to stop the attack."

Fenner radioed for help and got out of his car to help the man, who was still being attacked by the first dog, Staab said.

When Fenner got out of his car, the first dog turned and advanced upon him, and he shot the animal, fatally wounding it, Staab said.

The second dog limped away, and an arriving officer followed it onto the grounds of a nearby elementary school, where it was contained until animal control officers arrived and tranquilized it, Staab said. The dog died at a veterinary clinic.

The dogs were not wearing tags, and authorities were looking for their owner.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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