Pit bulls kill 4-year-old boy in Detroit neighborhood

DETROIT, MI -- A pack of pit bulls yanked a 4-year-old Detroit boy from his mother, dragged him away and mauled him to death Wednesday, police said.

The boy died from his injuries after the attack in his neighborhood. Police killed three dogs and had a fourth pit bull in custody, Sgt. Cassandra Lewis said.

The attack occurred while the boy was walking with his mother.

"The mother tried to fight the dogs off," Police Chief James Craig said. "What's telling in this scenario (is) the viciousness of these animals, the fact that they removed this child from the mother's grasp."

A witness, Nyasha Reid, said the mother screamed, "They got my baby." Reid and others called 911.

Neighbors screamed at the dogs and used a brick and club to try to free the boy.

"He was limp," Reid said.

The boy's name was not released. Lewis said the attack was being investigated.

"It's pretty much an open-and-shut case," she said. "We know who the dogs belong to."

Police did not release the owner's name.