Wash. Boy, 4, Who Was 'Full of Energy' Is Mauled to Death by Family Dog on Halloween
A GoFundMe shared by local news outlets has raised over $10,000 in two days
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A child in Washington State was killed by his family dog on Halloween in what the Spokane Police Department is calling a "tragic accident."
On Tuesday, shortly after 8 p.m., authorities responded to an animal attack in Spokane and discovered a child who was attacked by a family dog.
"Officers immediately began rendering aid, and care was subsequently transferred to [Spokane Fire Department] and [American Medical Response]," the SPD noted. "Despite the efforts of first responders, the child succumbed to their injuries."
The family's "valiant attempts to protect the child" left the dog "severely injured and beyond help," according to police, prompting authorities to euthanize the animal on site.
The SPD noted that there doesn't appear to be any criminal involvement, and that the dog attack was unrelated to trick-or-treating.
According to NBC Right Now and The News Tribune, the child was a 4-year-old boy. The SPD said the medical examiner’s office would identify the victim at a later date. A GoFundMe page to support the family has raised more than $10,000 in two days.
The SPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for further information on Friday.
Neighbor Roger Hammers told NBC Right Now that his girlfriend Jenna was handing out candy at the time of the dog attack when the boy's family came out asking for help.
Hammers, a nurse who works with elderly people, said the boy lives with his grandparents at East Dalton Avenue and that neighbors "didn't hear the attack" before the grandfather asked for help.
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The child was "having some trouble breathing" when Hammers said he found him in his grandmother's arms, with what he called a "considerable amount of blood loss."
"It was incredibly difficult to watch that little guy fight for his life,” he said.
The neighbor said the dog — who he described as a pit bull mix — "never showed any signs of being aggressive" and would play with the boy in the family's yard.
"It's a tragedy. It’s terrible. I'm very sorry to hear that [the boy] didn't make it,” Hammers said.
Heather Sandy, another neighbor, told KXLY that she "never expected something like this to happen so close to home." She described the child as "kind," "loving," and "full of energy."
"It's hard to even know that, you know, I'll never be seeing him outside again. I'll never, you know, hear him laugh. Nothing," Sandy said.
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