A Canadian police dog mauled an unarmed 6-year-old girl Saturday while officers were searching for two armed suspects in a home invasion.
Autumn Clifford had just got back from the park with her friends and was sitting on the front door steps when the K9 turned the corner of the house and attacked her.
Amanda Pritchard, who witnessed the mauling, heard a growling sound after the turn had turned the corneer which made her turn her head quickly. The K9 ripped Clifford off the steps immediately after.
According to CTVNews, a witness to an incident where police say one of their dogs accidentally bit a young girl says the animal shook the child like Cujo and officers had a difficult time getting it to release her.
Pritchard said the the officers shouted repeatedly to let go, but the dog did not let go, which contradicts the police press release which states that the dog released the girl on the first command.
Pritchard recalled the event stating she heard the officers yell three times ‘Let go! Let go!’
“The K9 growled at the cop and shook his head like he was going to tear her,” Pritchard said, “All she was yelling was, ‘Ow! Ow! Ow!”‘
Clifford was taken by ambulance to hospital with her mother, Leslie Welder, where she received multiple stitches to her abdomen.
Some of the injuries could be seen showing tissue.
After the attack, officers called off the search for the home invasion suspects.