Brooklyn Center man mauled to death in dog attack
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Updated 5:18 p.m.
A Brooklyn Center man was killed Thursday after four dogs attacked him outside his home.
While responding to a 911 call from the man’s neighbor around 12:45 p.m. Thursday, police saw four American pit bull terriers mauling the man, 22, in a back yard on Halifax Avenue North.
He was identified later in the day as Dezmond Ray Thomas Trawick of Brooklyn Center.
According to a statement from police, an officer struck at least one of the animals with a “less-lethal” round, which caused all of the dogs to flee inside the house. Officers rendered aid after securing the animals in the home.
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Trawick suffered extensive bites, and the dogs tore off most of his clothes. He was intubated at the scene, according to the statement, and underwent surgery at a hospital.
Police said they had initially expected him to survive and spend “several weeks” in the hospital, but he died late Thursday. Authorities have not released his name.
Residents of the home where the attack happened were taking care of the animals for the day but were not the owners of the dogs, which are in police custody, Brooklyn Center Police Commander Tony Gruenig said.
The incident remains under investigation and "it's too soon to say" whether prosecutors will file criminal charges, Gruenig said.
