Two dogs that authorities said "went on a rampage" Friday near an elementary school in a Sacramento County neighborhood were shot and killed by sheriff's deputies.
Ruben Hernandez, supervising animal control officer of Sacramento County's Animal Care and Regulation Department, said his officers and sheriff's deputies decided to shoot the pit bulls, who bit at least two people and led authorities on a 20-minute chase near Whitney Avenue Elementary School.
The school was on lockdown during the search and shooting of the dogs, authorities said.
The two men who were bitten were treated at hospitals for their injuries, which Hernandez said were not severe.
Hernandez described the incident as "unusual" and "extreme," because the dogs attacked without being provoked.
One victim was working in his yard when attacked, Hernandez said.
Hernandez said his officers arrived at about 12:10 p.m. to find firefighters helping one victim.
Firefighters pointed out where the dogs went, which helped the officers and deputies find two dogs near Robertson and Eastern avenues.
They gave chase and eventually ended up in the backyard of a property on Green Crest Court, where they thought they could capture the dogs.
But the dogs kept charging at deputies and animal control officers, who exhausted all means of trying to trap the animals, Hernandez said.
The officers and deputies noticed a greenbelt adjacent to the property, a possible escape route.
"We didn't want to take the chance of losing the dogs to the greenbelt area and possibly posing a future risk to anybody that may be walking in the area," Hernandez said.
One dog was shot at Green Crest Court; the other one ran to the elementary school and was shot there, Hernandez said.
Authorities advise residents to report stray dogs to the department at (916) 368-7387.
Call The Bee's Chelsea Phua, (916) 321-1132.
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