A horrific scene unfolded in Compton on Friday morning after a man who was breeding pit bulls was mauled to death in his own backyard.
According to KTLA, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, officials responded to the home on Thorson Avenue, just south of Rosecrans Avenue, around 7 a.m. after a concerned friend visited the property and discovered the man's body.
Victim was Attacked While Feeding the Dogs
Investigators believe the attack occurred Thursday evening between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. "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," said Michael Gomez with LASD's Homicide Bureau.
The victim, a 35-year-old man, who neighbors say lived alone, succumbed to his injuries inside one of several kennels in the backyard.
Authorities traversed the victim's roof, a neighbor's yard, and an alley to corral the five adult pit bulls and eight puppies, L.A. County's Animal Care & Control department said. Firefighters helped a woman climb out of the yard as the agitated dogs ran loose and were also attacking each other.
"Preliminary information suggests that the deceased individual was involved in breeding and selling Pitbulls," animal control officials said in a statement.
The victim's identity was not immediately released. Officials said his father had consented to sign over the dogs to Animal Care & Control for "impoundment and examination."
Compton Has Not Yet Banned Ownership of Unneutered or Unspayed Pitbulls
An animal welfare worker who responded to the scene said he hoped the tragedy would also serve as a lesson.
"It sucks that it brings awareness from a death," Damian Wesley with Compton Animal Rescue told KTLA 5's Kimberly Cheng. "I hope that awareness is spread... that people need to take great care of their dogs. People need to understand that these dogs can kill somebody and hurt people."
Many California cities have passed ordinances banning the ownership of unneutered or unspayed pit bulls. Compton is not among them.
