Dog’s owner devastated following attack

An 11-year-old boy is recovering in the hospital after a dog attacked and mauled him. It happened Friday evening in the 200 block of Tacoma St.

The attack didn't end until a man next door shot and killed the dog.

Neighbors were still talking about the traumatic event today after witnessing what Robin Franklin called, “the worst thing she's ever seen”.

“He was going for the kill. That dog was owned to kill that kid not bite nobody else,” said Robin Franklin, a neighbor.

That dog belonged to the boy's mother's boyfriend. We caught up exclusively with the dog's owner who says he's devastated over the whole thing.

“My dog and my girlfriend's kid. I feel pretty bad over it,” said Keith Phillips, the dog's owner.

Keith Phillips says no one is more upset that his dog attacked a child than he is. He didn't want to show his face, but was more than willing to talk saying the boy is doing well.

“He's okay. He's up and talking. He's mobile,” said Phillips

Phillips says he's had Mercedes for 1.5 years. It's one of two pit bulls he owned. He says he favors the breed because they make good guard dogs. But, Phillips says Mercedes was also good around children playing with his three and others in the neighborhood. Still, he knew she was no angel.

“I know that she is mean. She's a mean dog, but when you live in a place like this, it don't hurt to have a mean dog,” said Phillips.

But, she proved just how mean she could be yesterday when she attacked his girlfriend's 11-year-old son,