NEW YORK — A grandmother shielding children from an off-leash pit bull was bitten twice and severely injured Wednesday, New York City officials said.
The 57-year-old woman was at the playground section of Eastchester Houses in the Bronx shortly after 3 p.m. when the dog attacked her, officials said. The pit bull bit her ear and her hand. She lost her ear in the attack, along with some of her hair.
Children in the park, including 12-year-old Delia Rojas, witnessed the attack.
"The little girl, she was yelling and then it got my attention and then I saw the pit bull," she told WPIX. "It was really bad."
Police took the dog's owner, a 23-year-old woman, into custody. Animal control officials took the dog. Police charged Shannon Ingram with two counts of reckless endangerment.
It is still unclear why the dog attacked and why the animal was off its leash.
“It’s more than just pit bulls. Any dog has teeth, you know, even Chihuahuas," neighbor Charlesse Brown said. "Some Chihuahuas are more feisty than pit bulls. So it’s all up to the owner to protect yourself, and your surroundings.
The grandmother is currently at the hospital being treated.
