Neighborhood on edge after two serious dog attacks in one week

ATLANTA — Neighbors in a southwest Atlanta community are on edge after two serious dog attacks in one week.

The most recent attack happened early Monday morning. A 48-year-old man was attacked by two dogs in the middle of the street. He was repeatedly bitten on his arms and face. When police arrived, he was not alert or conscious, but he was breathing.

Just seven days before that, dogs attacked two young children walking to their bus stop less than a mile away. Logan Braatz, 6, died in the attack. Syrai Sanders, 5, was seriously injured and is now recovering at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

Billups is recovering at Grady Memorial Hospital.

A friend who witnessed that attack says he quickly jumped in to try and help.

“He was just screaming,” Jamal Shavers said. “I picked up the stick on the side and we ran up to him and the dogs just took off.”

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Billups was attacked in front of a home with a “Beware of Dogs” sign.

“Just to endure what he endured, I’m just happy to know he’s still alive,” Shavers said.

A neighbor shot one of the dogs and Animal Control later euthanized it. They captured the other dog.

Officers also captured two dogs after the first attack

Channel 2’s Sophia Choi spoke with one pit bull owner in the neighborhood Tuesday, who said he knows his dog and others can be dangerous.

"I’m conscious of that. I know these things about my dog so my thing is, if you're going to own a pit bull, know your dog. Know what you need to do to restrain him from hurting other people,” Lenell Patterson said.

Syrai’s mom is now fighting to have all stray dogs picked up.

“I’m just at the point where I think they should get all the stray dogs off the street because it’s becoming a hazard,” Jeresha Williams said.

Cox Media Group