A video of two dogs mauling a 5-year-old child before being shot by a good Samaritan who witnessed the vicious attack has gone viral on TikTok.
In video footage, shared on TikTok by user @zionra6, two Rottweilers are seen attacking the child before one of them drags the child away from his mother.
Two men are then seen with their guns drawn at the dogs. Moments later, multiple shots ring out as one of the men (wearing a green jacket) fires at the dogs in an attempt to save the child. The video has since gone viral on the platform with more than 30 million views. Watch the clip below:
Child, Mother Sustained Injuries in the Incident, Both in Stable Condition
According to local news outlet WPVI-TV, the child's mother was injured in the shooting, which took place at around 7:14 a.m. on Friday morning in Philadelphia. The 22-year-old woman who was injured was likely hit by shrapnel or some other kind of fragment, caused by a ricocheting bullet, according to police.
Investigators initially believed the woman had been shot. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where she is listed in stable condition. The bystander who fired the gun had a permit to carry, police say, and will not be charged. The child suffered bite marks to his face and ankles and received multiple stitches. He is also listed in stable condition.
The Dogs Were 'Running Loose' When They Attacked the Child
One Rottweiler was killed in the shooting while another was taken into custody by the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT Philly). The dogs were running loose when they attacked the child named Kasion, the outlet reported.
Dwayne Patrick was driving by and saw the dog attack. He says he took his legally owned gun, which is licensed, and shot the attacking animal.
"I caught the attack on camera. I immediately took action, jumped out, told everybody to move, and discharged my firearm," Patrick told WPVI-TV. "There were a lot of people out there. They were beating the dogs shooting with a paintball gun, trying to do everything to get the dog off the child, but there was nothing no one could do."
