SAN BERNARDINO, Cali. (KTLA) A woman was killed and another person was injured after police say they were mauled by a pack of stray dogs near a San Bernardino park.
San Bernardino police responded to reports of a dog attack near Perris Hill Park around 5 p.m. on July 31, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Officers arriving at the scene found the victims lying on the ground about 30 yards from each other. As authorities tried to help the pair, a dog charged at an officer, who opened fire and fatally shot the canine.
One woman appeared to have been bitten by a dog, while a second woman was found with severe injuries to her face from an apparent dog mauling.
The woman with severe injuries was taken to the hospital, where she later died, police said. She was identified by the coroner’s office as Teodora Mendoza, 51.
The area where the attack took place was near a homeless encampment. Mendoza’s son, Alex Lozano, 21, told The Times that his mother had been homeless for over a year and was known to stay in the Perris Hill Park area.
He mentioned that he had not spoken to her for some time before the deadly incident.
The identity of the second victim who survived was not released. It’s unclear whether the two women knew each other. Police said it also remains unclear how many dogs were involved in the attack and whether they belonged to anyone.
San Bernardino Animal Control workers responded to the scene and removed 14 dogs from the park. The fatal incident remains under investigation.
