A woman died from her injuries after three dogs mauled her early Friday morning, Portsmouth police said.
Officers responded to a call on the 1800 block of Atlanta Avenue at 1:33 a.m., according to a release. They found the woman with life-threatening injuries. Medics took her to a hospital, where she died.
People who live nearby on Atlanta Avenue said they had seen dogs loose on the street several times. The animals were taken away early Friday morning after the mauling, two people said.
Police Chief Stephen Jenkins released a statement Friday afternoon expressing his “profound sadness” about the attack.
He corrected his previous statement that Portsmouth Animal Patrol hadn’t had any interactions with the three dogs involved, saying that in fact they responded to three calls involving these dogs in the previous 12 months, one of which was concerning a bite injury.
“The pit bulls involved in this tragedy have been swiftly removed from the residence and quarantined at an undisclosed animal facility,” Jenkins said. “While these dogs are now quarantined and no longer pose a threat to the Prentis Park community, we urge residents to refrain from trespassing or attempting to interact with animals without explicit permission from their owners, as this can help prevent future incidents of this nature.”
Police have not identified the woman.
Cianna Morales, 757-957-1304, cianna.morales@virginiamedia.com
