CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — A dog that attacked a teen in Concord on Thursday was shot and killed when it charged at a Cabarrus County deputy, investigators said.
Multiple agencies responded to a reported dog attack on Lower Rocky River Road near Pioneer Mill Road. A woman called 911 when she saw multiple large dogs attacking her 18-year-old son in their yard. The caller told 911 that the dogs were biting his arms during the attack.
The Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office and EMS responded to the call.
When deputies arrived, they saw a girl who was hiding inside her mom's car to prevent being attacked. The same dog that attacked the 18-year-old charged the deputy, who shot and killed it to prevent any further harm.
"The deputy was forced to make the difficult decision to use lethal force to neutralize the imminent threat," the sheriff's office wrote in a statement.
Animal control officers were called to assist with the investigation and they were able to contain a second dog, identified as a mastiff. A third dog that was involved, a pit bull, ran off before police arrived and hasn't been found.
"If the dogs could have been contained and caught safely, we would've done that, but an active attack changed that," Cabarrus County officials told WCNC Charlotte about the dog being shot and killed.
Animal control is working to contact the owner(s) of the dogs, but none of the animals had any identifying information, according to deputies.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident involving a vicious attack," Sheriff Van W. Shaw said. "Our thoughts are with the victim and their family as they navigate this difficult time."
Contact Anna King at aking2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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