Pit bull killed after attacking 4-year-old girl in North Jersey

The girl attacked by a pit bull in Bayonne Friday morning was just 4 years old, Mayor James Davis said.

The Jersey Journal reported police shot and killed a pit bull after it attacked four people, leaving them with minor injuries. It quoted a neighbor saying the dog went straight for a young child, biting her, getting a hold of her head.

The witness also reportedly said he and three other men – a school bus assistant, the girl's father, and the owner of the pit bull – struggled to free her.

The report said the girl and the owner were both taken to a hospital, but their current conditions couldn't be obtained.

“I commend the actions of the school bus attendant, the victim’s father, the owner of the dog, and the swift action of the off-duty police officer that brought this serious situation to an end, adverting a potential tragedy," Davis said in a statement sent to New Jersey 101.5 "My thoughts and prayers are with the victim and those who suffered injuries as a result of this incident. I wish them a speedy recovery.”

Last month, police were forced to shoot and kill a pit bull after an 11-year-old boy called 911 as the family’s pit bull terrier attacked his parents in Paterson. Earlier this month, a 13-year-old girl and her grandmother were injured after two family dogs — a pit bull and a boxer — went after another family pet, and then the two people in South Brunswick.