MIAMI – A dog attack in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood left a woman hospitalized and led to an officer opening fire on two dogs Friday morning, authorities said.
According to Officer Kiara Delva, a spokeswoman for the Miami Police Department, officers responded to the area of Northwest Third Court and 64th Street around 6:30 a.m. when 53-year-old Gema Garcia reported that she was bitten by a vicious dog.
Authorities said paramedics responded and took Garcia to Jackson Memorial Hospital following the attack. Police said Animal Serves also responded to the scene.
Local 10 News spoke with Garcia by phone who said she was leaving for work when the dogs came charging at her.
“They came at me the moment they saw me,” she said in Spanish.
Neighbors told Local 10 that another man who live nearby the home stepped in and tried to help Garcia while she was being attacked.
“That neighbor, he came out with a bat and started hitting the dogs to stop,” said Antonio Tollichi.
Authorities said officers were trying to restrain the dog when a second dog charged at an officer.
According to Delva, the officer opened fire in the dog’s direction.
While speaking to Local 10 News by phone, Garcia said she is still in the emergency room waiting on test results and showed that she had bit wounds to her arm, leg and ankle.
“I’m more scared now. Imagine, these are aggressive dogs,” she said.
Miami police were seen speaking to a man with two dogs, who matched Garcia’s description of the dogs who attacked her. However, authorities said the man’s dogs are related to the ones they were looking for but are not the dogs that attacked the victim.
Police told Local 10 News that they are actively looking for the dogs. Their breeds have not been identified at this time.
Authorities are urging anyone that sees stray dogs in the area to call Miami police at 305-603-6640.