NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A Newport News man said he is remorseful after his two pit bulls attacked a 65-year-old man over the weekend.
Marvin Jackson owns a one-year-old male pit bull and a two-and-a-half-year-old female pit bull who is also pregnant. He said his dogs run loose in his fenced-in backyard at his home on 33rd Street and Roanoke Avenue.
However, the male pit bull got loose early Sunday morning after hearing a noise. Jackson believes the dog was trying to protect the female.
"So he hops over this gate and goes under the fence, and he runs up to the guy standing across from here, but he just runs up to him barking; he is not engaging," Jackson claimed.
Jackson alleges the man kicked the dog, and the female then dog ran over to join the attack.
"When that dude started kicking at him and swinging, I said, 'No, don't do that.' I grabbed Niko, and the man started hitting Niko in the head with a brush," he said.
Jackson said the dogs bit the man in the arm before he could get them off of him. According to the Newport News Animal Welfare Division, someone called 911 and the Animal Welfare officers were on the scene at 7:33 a.m. and took the dogs into custody.
Jackson said he put a cord on the fence to prevent the dogs from getting out, but it wasn't enough to stop the attack. He said he is genuinely remorseful.
"I really apologize tonight, if there's anything that I can do, just let me know," said Jackson.
He said both of the dogs are in quarantine for 10 days and would learn what happened next once those days were complete. According to the Newport News Animal Welfare Division, there are no banned dog breeds in the city.
Charges are pending against the owner, according to the Newport News Animal Welfare Division.