8-month-old boy killed by family pit bull in Maryland1

An 8-month-old boy was killed Thursday in Maryland when the familys
pit bull attacked him, authorities said.

Officers responded about 1 p.m. to Prancer Court in Lusby, Maryland, for the report of a dog attack, the Calvert County Sheriffs Office said in a statement.

The deputies, who arrived within a minute of the call, saw the familys pit bull attacking the boy €“ who was in the care of a family friend €“ and shot the animal to stop the attack. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

At a news conference Friday, Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans said that the pit bull was 6 to 8 years old and that the family had had it since it was a puppy. The dog attacked the baby €œout of the blue,€� he said.

€œOur hearts are heavy after this tragic event,€� Evans said. €œOur thoughts and prayers are with the family and everyone involved. No one should have to endure this type of traumatic event.€�

The dog, which weighed about 65 pounds, had no history of being aggressive and would be tested for rabies, the sheriff said. The family friend, a female neighbor who unsuccessfully tried to stop the attack, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, the sheriff said.

Evans said that no charges would be filed and that the victims name would not be released at the familys request.

At the news conference, Tom Hejl, president of Calvert Countys Board of County Commissioners, said he favors pit bull restrictions in the county. The dogs have been outlawed in neighboring Prince Georges County for more than two decades.

€œI would hope that it would actually spur some conversation,€� he said.

Evans said the last fatal dog attack in Calvert County was in 2006 when a group of pit bulls killed their owner.