A 13-year-old New Jersey boy was mauled to death in a horrific attack by a 115-pound bull mastiff that got loose and went after the teen and his friend, police reported.
Kenneth Santillan was walking down a street near the Passaic River in Paterson, N.J., Feb. 28 when he and a friend came under attack by a giant bull mastiff that had escaped the fenced yard it was held in, Paterson police said.
Santillan and his friend, also 13, ran in opposite directions to escape the dog. Santillan's friend, whose name has not been released, was able to get away but suffered bite wounds to the hand. He was treated at a local hospital and released.
Santillan's body was found near an icy stream at around 11 p.m. that night, dead apparently from wounds inflicted by the dog. An autopsy is being carried out to determine the cause of his death.
"The exact cause of the boy's death is NOT known at this time. Medical Examiner's Office will be conducting an autopsy and issuing a full report," the Paterson police department said in a statement.
Paul Clarke, who owned the dog, named "Trigger," reportedly stabbed the animal repeatedly during the attack in an attempt to subdue it, suffering bite wounds himself. The dog was later euthanized and its body will be tested for rabies, police said.
No criminal charges have been filed against Clarke.
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