Man mauled to death by pit bull in Staten Island home
NEW DORP, Staten Island (WABC) -- A man was bitten multiple times and killed by a pit bull in New Dorp, Staten Island, on Sunday afternoon.
The victim was a 59-year-old man who was found dead inside a home on New Dorp Lane in New Dorp around 4 p.m.
Police say the man was bitten several times in the arms and thighs. The victim was pronounced dead at the home.
Neighbors described frequent fighting and disturbance coming from the home.
They say multiple people live in the home.
Sources said police had been to the home for unrelated drug offenses.
Joseph Dantuono says he was walking by this home on New Dorp Lane on Sunday when the pitbull behind the fence tried to come after him.
"It kinda like jumping on the gate. It was kinda like a tiger jumping at me," Dantuono said.
Investigators say around 4 pm that a pitbull mauled a man inside the home after finding a man dead with wounds all over his body that were consistent with dog bites.
A neighbor said the dog has a violent past.
"Has a dark side. I know he bit my friend over 5 times," Robert Lamantia said.
The animal care centers of New York City currently have the male pit Bull named "Bean" in their care.
He is on a 10-day rabies observation hold, requiring him to be isolated and monitored since he bit someone.
A woman who lives in the neighborhood and wants to remain anonymous said she has seen the dog around the neighborhood and it was abused.
"This dog was abused because the people who lived there did not want this dog. Just the other day they kicked it out and it was running down the street and the owner, she was running after the dog with no shoes on," another neighbor said.
The ACC says it couldn't comment on any signs of abuse, citing an active investigation.
Police are trying to determine who owns the dog and if there is any criminality.
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