Bulldogs Attack: Family Attacked In Yard, 4-Year-Old In Surgery

Two American Bulldogs unleashed an unprovoked attack on a family in Central New York today. The four family members – two children and two adults – all suffered significant bite wounds, and one of them, a four-year old little boy, reportedly required surgery.

According to an Associated Press report, the attack occurred in Onondaga Nation territory. Two American bulldogs approached two brothers, 4 and 10, who were playing in a yard. One of the bulldogs, estimated to be 90-pounds, went after the 10-year old when he went to help his little brother get up after he’d fallen on the ground. As that bulldog attacked, the other bulldog also attacked the 4-year old.

The 18-year old sister of the boys rushed into help, and one of the bulldogs bit her on the neck. The father of the three then arrived on the scene, fighting the attacking bulldogs off but being bitten in the process.

At least one of the bulldogs lived at the residence, according to the report.

Responding Onondaga Nation sheriff deputies arrived and the two bulldogs turned on them, the sheriffs opening fire and killing one of the bulldogs. The other of the attacking bulldogs was hunted down and shot later by tribal officers.

The 4-year-old suffered the worst injuries and was undergoing surgery for bites to his chest as of approximately 4:00 pm, New York time.

According to a series of ongoing reports from Syracuse.com, the names of those attacked by the bulldogs are the two brothers, Tukwet Norte, 4, and 10-year-old Hunwet Norte, their sister, Susan Hill, 18, and their father, 30-year-old Issac Norte.

While the armed sheriffs later arrived at the bulldog attack scene, it was Onondaga Nation firefighters who arrived first, pulling up to a residence at 272 Webster Road on the Onondaga Nation at approximately 10 am.

“Chaos,” is the word Chief Ronald Shenandoah used to describe his initial take on the still unfolding scene of the bulldog attack, but apparently after the father had fought the bulldogs off:

“There were two people, the father and son, trapped in a van,” Shenandoah said. “A mother and child were in a vehicle at the end of the driveway. Other young children inside the house that apparently weren’t bitten. An older girl in the house did kick one of the dogs off of another. She was very upset.”

Sheriff’s deputies confirmed that young Tukwet and older brother Hunwet were playing in the yard at the house when the 4-year-old fell on the ground.

Herb Wiggins, a deputy on scene of the bulldog attack, said that after the bulldogs initially attacked the boys, their sister covered the 4-year old with her body to protect him.

According to Police, the four family members were transported to Upstate University Hospital following the attack. The mother of the children may also have been taken to the hospital after the attack, said firefighters.

The 10-year-old suffered multiple bites from the bulldogs and is in stable condition while the bite to the 18-year-old’s neck is severe but does not appear to be life-threatening, according to police.

The bulldogs’ bites to the father’s left forearm left some “severe” wounds, and the whole attack scene was tough even on the first responders:

“The ones I handled were kids,” said one of the first responders. “It’s very difficult. It’s different from an accident we see on (highway) 81 or anywhere. You see the children cry, then they see the dogs and they are even more scared.”

According to authorities, the family may have been visiting from California as the mother used to be a resident in the area of the bulldog attack. Who owns the bulldogs that attacked also could not be confirmed.