Police in Atlantic City, New Jersey, say a caught-on-camera attack by a pair of dogs injured seven people, including five children, on Tuesday afternoon.
Two kids were walking their dogs in a fenced area along the 1300 of Baltic Avenue, Atlantic City police said, when a third dog approached. Witnesses said the dogs then became aggressive and broke free from the kids.
“Without warning, it appears the dogs then turned on the juveniles and began attacking them,” Atlantic City police said in a news release.
Steve Greenwood, who had just finished working for the day at the Atlantic City Engineer's Office, rushed in to help.
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"It was a madhouse," Greenwood said. "They were just coming from everywhere."
Another man, David Gardella, also helped contain the dogs. Video shows him pouring water on the animals.
"I put him in a headlock and body slammed him to the ground so he would release off my wrist and then Steve came up," Gardella said. "It's a godsend that he was there."
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Greenwood put one of the dogs in a chokehold.
"I dropped down on top of them, putting all my body weight on him," Greenwood said.
Gardella, another adult and five children ranging in age from 10 to 17, were all treated at the hospital for serious, but non-life-threatening, injuries, police said.
Animal control took the dogs away and placed them in quarantine.
"It's very scary to see that happen," Atlantic City Police Chief James Sarkos said. "To see all those kids that were out there and subject to harm's way. But I was comforted by the fact to know that there's good Samaritans out there that didn't hesitate to jump in there."
