Dog stabbed during fight on Long Beach sidewalk

Dog stabbed during Long Beach fight

A dog was stabbed after a fight broke out between two men in Long Beach. The dog got away from his owner and was trying to protect him. Police are searching for the man with the knife.

LONG BEACH, Calif. - A dog was stabbed while trying to protect its owner during a fight in Long Beach over the weekend. Now police are searching for the man with the knife.

What we know:

The attack happened early Saturday morning, near the intersection of 4th Street and Orange Avenue in Long Beach. According to the Long Beach Police Department, two men believed to be homeless were fighting when one pulled out a knife. 

That's when the other man's dog, a pit bull, got loose trying to protect its owner. The man with the knife stabbed at the dog several times. The interaction was caught on camera.

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The dog was seriously injured but is expected to be okay. The man with the knife ran off. People nearby who heard the commotion to help the injured dog before it was taken to an animal hospital.

What they're saying:

Some Long Beach residents said they weren't surprised by the attack.

"It's pretty sad to to hear things like that, especially growing up in Long Beach," one resident said. "You know, you always want the best for the city, but now, you know, now it's kind of feels unsafe to be around here now."

"Between 7th Street and downtown, it's a different change in the city," another resident told FOX 11. You could definitely feel the difference in how the city is being managed and how the police are managing the homeless people."

What's next:

Police are searching for the man with the knife. It was not clear if officers had identified a suspect.