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Tearful Ex-Fire Chief, Family Thank Glendora Officer For Thwarting Pit Bull Attack

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A retired fire captain who was the victim of a pit bull attack got his chance Thursday to thank the Glendora police officer who saved his life.

KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports Milford Fonza thought he was going to die as two pit bulls mauled him on his morning walk on Monday.

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"My arm was broke, I was bleeding profusely from my face, my stomach, my hand," said the 67-year-old Fonza. "I had no more strength to keep fighting."

That was when Glendora Police Officer Matt Fenner moved quickly against one of the dogs that had temporarily stopped its attack.

Fenner struck the dog with his squad car and then exited the vehicle before opening fire on the animals.

"I yelled to Mr. Fonza, partly to see if he was OK and also to get the [second] dog's attention off of him, and then I fired at it," he said.

Fonza and his family had tears of gratitude for Fenner and even a little laughter as police presented him with an new engraved 5-foot walking stick so that he can safely continue his morning walks when he fully recovers.

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