Seven Pit Bulls Maul US Man And His 3-Month-Old Granddaughter To Death

A tragic incident in Tennessee has left a family shattered after a man and his 3-month-old granddaughter were mauled to death by seven pit bulls inside their home, according to The New York Post.

James Alexander Smith, 50, and the infant were found dead on Wednesday afternoon at their residence in Tullahoma. Authorities said the family's dogs, which were already known in the neighbourhood for aggressive behaviour, carried out the deadly attack, as per the news report.

Police officers arrived to find Smith unresponsive inside the house, while the infant was still being attacked. Officers were forced to shoot all seven pit bulls in order to reach the victims, according to the 14th Judicial District Attorney General's Office.

By the time police managed to stop the dogs and reach the child, she had already succumbed to her injuries. The incident is under investigation.

“This was an especially difficult and brutal scene,” the district attorney's office wrote. “Please pray for the family of the victims in this difficult time as well as the first responders as they cope with the trauma from what they witnessed.” 

Brian Kirby, a neighbor, told Fox 8 that he saw a woman screaming in the street shortly before the authorities arrived. When he asked her for help, she fled into her home. Seconds later, police officers arrived and subdued the pit bulls.

However, Kirby has suggested that the dogs have a violent history and even murdered his pet cat, whom he had owned for eight years.

“I don't believe that they thought this would ever happen,” Kirby said. “I'm sure it was not done on purpose. I think that people just have animals, and they just need to put them on a leash better; that's all.”

“And I'm not blaming them for what happened at all,” he continued. “I know that they're devastated more than we are because it's their family. It's just hard to understand and wrap your head around it.”