On Friday morning in Compton, a man was fatally mauled to death by his own Pit Bulls in his backyard. The tragic event prompted a response from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to the man’s residence on Thorson Avenue after a friend found his body.
Pit Bulls taken in by LA County’s Animal Care & Control
The deadly attack is believed to have taken place between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday evening — per KTLA. Officials suspect that the man was feeding the dogs when an altercation between the canines broke out, leading to the fatal mauling. “He was feeding the dogs at which point maybe there was an altercation between some of the dogs and [they] ultimately attacked and mauled the victim,” stated Michael Gomez of the LASD’s Homicide Bureau.
The 35-year-old victim, described by neighbors as living alone, was found deceased inside a kennel in his yard. To secure the scene, authorities navigated through various obstacles, including the victim’s roof and neighboring yards, to round up the aggressive dogs — five adults and eight puppies. A dramatic rescue was also caught on camera as firefighters assisted a woman in escaping the chaos in the yard.
Authorities later confirmed the victim was engaged in the breeding and selling of Pit Bulls. In light of his death, his father agreed to transfer the dogs to L.A. County’s Animal Care & Control for further evaluation.
No other human injuries were reported, but the incident has reignited conversations about the breeding and ownership of certain dog breeds. Marcia Mayeda, Director of DACC, extended condolences to the victim’s loved ones and assured a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
Several California cities have implemented restrictions on owning unneutered or unspayed Pit Bulls. However, Compton has not enacted such laws. In addition, the state itself lacks breed-specific legislation.
