East Garfield Park dog bite victim remains hospitalized
On Friday night an East Garfield Park boy was mauled by a neighbor’s pitbulls while retrieving a ball that had gone across the fence and into the neighbor’s yard. Trayshawn Toliver was attacked by 3 pitbull puppies.
The police were flagged down at about 7:45 pm and tried to scare off the dogs. “The dogs were relentless in their grip of the young victim,” said Chicago Police Officer John Mirabelli.
Attempts to lift Trayshawn over the chain-link fence were unsuccessful. Officers used pepper spray before they were forced to shoot and kill two of the dogs. The third ran away, but was later caught by the Animal Care and control unit.
Trayshawn was taken in serious condition to Mt. Sinai hospital suffering from maul wounds that required plastic surgery on both of his legs which had been mauled from his thighs to his feet.
Erica Toliver, Trayshawn’s sister said that he suffered a gash so deep that it exposed muscle tissue.
“These dogs see him every day,” said, Erica, “He doesn’t play with the dogs. I don’t understand how it happened.”
William Johnson, the dogs’ owner said he was working at the time of the attack and did not know how it happened. Johnson said he was surprised at the attack . “They were just puppies. They were not mean dogs. I’m not sure what provoked it.”
Johnson went on to say the he was sorry that the attack occurred. “I can always get another dog. But a kid, you can’t replace that.”
