2 dogs killed after Pasadena attacks

Ernie Dimler had just dropped off his son at school Monday morning and was getting ready for his workday, loading up his Ford Ranger.

He closed the door and stepped back and there they were - two pit bulls, one in front snarling and both clearly set on taking a bite out of Mr. Dimler.

"This dog was just pure evil," he said.

County police officers eventually had to use Tasers, beanbag rounds and a handgun to subdue the animals, but not before Mr. Dimler was bitten on the hand and legs.

Animal Control officers seized the dogs and euthanized them. No charges have been issued against the owner, but an investigation is continuing, police said.

Mr. Dimler said before the dogs were captured, they kept his neighbors in Sunset Beach hostage for about 20 minutes.

"I'm so grateful that the dogs picked on me because I know karate and I could fend them off," he said. "If it was a kid they definitely would have killed it, no doubt about it."

After snarling at Mr. Dimler, one of the dogs, which he described as a large, black pit bull, bit him in the leg. The other dog, a white and brown dog only slightly smaller than the first dog, bit his hand.

He said he began kicking the dogs in their faces as he backed up, trying to keep the dogs in front of him so they couldn't attack him from different directions at once.

One of his neighbors, Connie Miller, said she pulled up in front of Mr. Dimler's residence on Granada Road and saw him fighting with the dogs.

"I didn't know how to help him," she said yesterday. "I was honking and yelling and screaming."

After hearing the commotion, another neighbor, Chris Clarke, came out of his house armed with a broom. The dogs, who had backed Mr. Dimler into a corner between his boat and his fence, quickly turned their attention on the new arrival.

Mr. Dimler warned him to run.

"Chris they are attacking get in the house," he recalled yelling.

Seizing the opportunity, Mr. Dimler hopped into the back of his boat. The neighbor fought the dogs off and ran back inside.

The dogs turned on Mr. Dimler again, running back and jumping at the boat. He noticed his small border collie in the yard and leapt from the boat, over his fence and into his yard. He hustled the dog inside and followed, shutting the door behind him.

Alerted by several neighbors, police officers arrived to find that the black pit bull had pinned a woman against a utility pole, said Sgt. John Gilmer, police spokesman. One of the officers yelled at the dog and caught its attention.

As the dog approached the officer, he used his Taser on it in an attempt to subdue it. The dog fell but rose again and continued toward the officer. The officer used the electronic stunner again - again with no effect.

"At that point the officer had no choice but draw his service weapon," Sgt. Gilmer said.

Only when the dog was shot did it run away.

Police used a bean-bag round, designed to be less than fatal, to deter the smaller dog.

Once Animal Control officers arrived, they seized the dogs. The owner of the dogs was apologetic and agreed to have the animals destroyed, police said.

Ms. Miller said she was conscious during the attacks of how close the attacks were to Sunset Elementary School, and how soon after classes began that they started. The school is just a few blocks away from the scene of the attack.

"I was so worried they were going to get a kid," she said.