Man suffers injuries in attack by pack of German Shepherds

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11) - Ricardo Rivera was bloodied and bruised Tuesday morning after he said a pack of German Shepherds attacked him. He said the dogs got loose when they jumped over their owner's fenced in yard.

"He didn't want to let go and the other one was just biting pulling my leg pulling me like this," Rivera described. Rivera said he was one of the first victims. Police said the dogs then began roaming the Pico-Union neighborhood, terrorizing the neighbors.

Alexander Galdamez was bit on his arms and legs.

"They were aggressive," Galdamez said. "I was like here at my gate and they were barking at me."

Another victim, Sara Anderson, said she was walking her own dog when the shepherds started biting her. "I was cornered against the wall and they started attacking me like crazy," she said. "I just couldn't do anything about it."

Police said they responded around 10:45 Tuesday morning after reports the dogs then went after a group of school kids. "As soon as they were done with me there was a mob of kids right here running in their PE uniform for school and they attacked them," Anderson said.

Officers followed the dogs towards their home on Toberman near 20th street, according to police.

Officials say an officer was able to catch one of the dogs, but when they other two tried to attack him, he fired his weapons striking one dog.

"He tried to tell the dogs to back off but they did not and he ended up becoming involved in an officer involved shooting and struck the dog once," Lt. Michael Mabie, Los Angeles Police Department, said.

Police said that dog survived.

Animal services was able to wrangle the two other loose dogs. Officer's also removed three more German Shepherds from the owner's home.

Neighbors said they've never known any of the dogs to be aggressive. "They never got out or jumped out that we know of," neighbor, Abigail Duran said. "That's why we're surprised that this even happened."