Child dies, two others hurt after pit bulls attack kids on way to school in Atlanta

ATLANTA -- Police say a child has died and two others were seriously injured after at least two pit bulls attacked them in southwest Atlanta.

Atlanta police Sgt. Warren Pickard tells local news media the attack occurred around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday while the children were walking to elementary school. Pickard says the pit bulls have been contained as one of the animals was shot by officers.

CBS Atlanta affiliate WGCL reports the owner of the dogs was taken away in a patrol car.

Cameron Tucker was later identified as the owner of the dogs and arrested, police said in a statement. Tucker was charged with two counts of Reckless Conduct.

The dogs were taken into custody by Fulton County Animal Control. 

Family tells WGCL that the boy killed in the attack is 6-year-old Logan Braatz. The girl has been identified as 5-year-old Syrai Sanders. The third injured child has not been identified. 

Atlanta Public Schools official say the attended F.L. Stanton Elementary School. 

Neighbor Shamonte Clayton says he was awoken to the sound of screams. He ran outside, saw one pit bull standing over a girl and eventually ran off the dog.

Fire spokesman Cortez Stafford says one child was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. The other was taken to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

A WGCL camera crew at the scene captured video of officers surrounding one of the dogs. When the dog tried to get away, an officer fired shots at the dog. The dog was hit, but ran off and was later captured, police said. Animal control officers later took the dogs into custody. Investigators were trying to determine whether a third dog, perhaps a stray, was involved in the mauling, WGCL reported.