Police officer, bystander, save seriously injured woman from pack of pitbulls

TAUNTON — Chief Edward Walsh reports that the Taunton Police Department is investigating after a woman was attacked by six pit bulls while walking her dog down the street Wednesday night, April 24.

At approximately 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, a Taunton Police officer was on routine patrol in the area of 187 Broadway when he observed a woman running in the middle of the road.

The officer observed six pit bulls following and then attacking the 51-year-old Taunton woman. He immediately pulled his cruiser over and got out to assist the woman. As he approached them, some of the dogs turned toward his direction as if they were going to attack him.

Because the dogs were next to and on top of the woman, the officer was unable to safely discharge his firearm at any of the dogs without potentially injuring the woman. Instead, the officer went back to his cruiser and activated the sirens and air horn to try and get the attention of the dogs.

The sirens distracted the dogs for enough time for the woman to get to her feet, allowing the officer and a good Samaritan to escort her into the officer’s cruiser.

During that time the owner of the dogs, a 36-year-old Taunton man, came out of his house to try and get the dogs under control. Some of the dogs attempted to jump through the open front driver’s side window of the cruiser to attack the officer. He was able to roll up the window to avoid being bitten. The good Samaritan was also bitten by one of the dogs.

The owner of the dogs was eventually able to get them inside of his home.

A Taunton Fire Department ambulance quickly arrived on-scene and EMS personnel provided medical aid to the woman. She was then transported by ambulance to Rhode Island Hospital. The woman suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The good Samaritan, a 53-year-old Raynham man, suffered an injury to his leg and drove himself to an area hospital.

All six dogs were seized by Taunton Animal Control and will be quarantined prior to a hearing with the owner to determine the outcome of the incident.

The initial investigation indicates that the pit bulls’ owner opened his door and one of the dogs escaped. When he turned to retrieve the dog, the other dogs pushed through the door and immediately began attacking the woman.

As of Friday afternoon, the incident remains under active investigation.