Two pit bulls killed in attack on four people

Monday, June 14, 2004 | 11:17 a.m.

Two of the three pit bulls that attacked four Las Vegas residents Friday were killed, one was captured and their owner has been cited, Metro Police said.

The dogs escaped from a residence on St. Louis Avenue and roamed surrounding neighborhoods, attacking bystanders, according to Metro Police Lt. Karen Coyne, of the Field Services Division.

"These dogs, they were definitely driven," Coyne said. "They were aggressive."

One person was hospitalized and three others were treated at the scene, according to Metro Lt. Les Lane. The person taken to a local hospital was not seriously wounded, he said.

One of the dogs, a 5-month-old, was shot by a Metro officer, Coyne said. Another, also 5 months old, was killed by residents who threw a large rock at it, she said.

The third dog, a 2-year-old, was captured by animal control officers and was under quarantine at the Lied Animal Shelter.

"Certainly there was a degree of fear with the folks who were out there," Coyne said. "Somebody picked up a stone and threw it, and it hit the right place."

"This was quite a chaotic scene," she said. It spanned over three addresses, four different victims were involved. Chaos really describes the incident."

The dogs' owner, David Martinez, was cited on three counts of animals running at large, Coyne said. The incident is still under investigation and charges be changed to vicious animals running at large, she said. They are both misdemeanor offenses, she said. In addition, it appeared the animals may not ave been properly vaccinated or licensed.