Family dog attacks and kills ‘loving’ young boy on Halloween, Washington police say

A child attacked by his family’s dog at their Spokane home on Halloween died of his injuries, Washington police reported.

“It was incredibly difficult to watch that little guy fight for his life,” neighbor Roger Hammers told KHQ about the attack on a 4-year-old boy. “It was definitely a messed-up Halloween. It turned into a tragedy.”

Officers responded to the incident at about 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, Spokane police said in a news release. Despite emergency medical care, the child died of his injuries.

The dog, which was injured by family members trying to save the boy, was euthanized at the scene, police said.

The attack took place inside the home and was not connected to Halloween trick-or-treating, police said, calling it a “tragic accident.”

Neighbor Heather Sandy described the boy to KXLY as “loving” and “kind.”

“It’s hard to even know that, you know, I’ll never be seeing him outside again,” she told the station. “I’ll never, you know, hear him laugh. Nothing.”

Spokane is about 280 miles east of Seattle.

What to know about dog attacks

“Dogs give us comfort, companionship, exercise, entertainment, and unconditional love,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. “But it’s important to remember that any dog can bite, even trusted family pets.”

Dogs bite more than 4.5 million people each year in the U.S., and nearly 800,000 of those people need medical attention, according to the CDC.

Any dog can bite if they feel scared or nervous, or if they want to be alone. You should never approach a dog that seems angry or scared, the CDC said.

If an unfamiliar dog comes up to you, officials say you should:

• Stay calm and be still.

• Avoid eye contact with the dog.

• Don’t panic or make loud noises. Don’t run.

• Say “no” or “go home” in a deep voice. Stand with the side of your body toward the dog.

• Slowly raise your hands to your neck and back away slowly.

This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Family dog attacks and kills ‘loving’ young boy on Halloween, Washington police say."