Owners try to stop pit bull-Rottweiler fight, but Simi Valley dog attack results in tragedy

In Simi Valley, California, a tragic incident took place where a man and his dog lost their lives on Friday. The sad event unfolded when the man’s dog suddenly broke free and attacked another dog along with its owner.

This heartbreaking event occurred at a residence on Big Springs Avenue. Despite the efforts of both dog owners to intervene and separate the animals during the altercation, the situation quickly escalated and resulted in a fatal outcome.

Creighton McCarthy and his Rottweiler Rocky were outside in his front yard when the chaotic attack happened.

According to McCarthy, a witness to the incident, the man was walking his large pit bull when it spotted McCarthy’s dog in the garage. The unleashed pit bull then broke free from its chain and launched an attack on McCarthy’s dog, prompting a chaotic scene as bystanders rushed to help. During the chaos, McCarthy himself was bitten while attempting to protect his dog from the aggressive pit bull.

Stopping the dogs from fighting was apparently too much for the pit bull’s owner.

“In the excitement of the event he ended up suffering a medical emergency,” said Simi Valley PD Senior Officer Casey Nicholson.

The pit bull’s owner died at the scene. McCarthy described the man’s final moments just before first responders arrived.

“His dog had torn off one of his fingers, his hand was all mangled,” McCarthy said. “He was having trouble breathing and then all of the sudden he got up and he handed the leash to my son, and he grabbed his chest and pretty much just keeled over next to the truck there… paramedics got here and dragged him out.”

McCarthy said Rocky survived with a few scratches.

The pit bull died at the scene. Animal Control picked up the dog but it’s unclear how it died. The agency is looking into the cause.