A peaceful afternoon turned tragic when a family’s normally gentle pit bull suddenly attacked a 12-year-old boy in the backyard. The dog lunged without warning, and the child’s screams sent relatives running toward the scene, struggling to pull the animal away.

Neighbors heard the chaos, called 911, and one brave bystander rushed in, risking injury to separate the dog from the boy. Thanks to that quick action, the child survived. Paramedics arrived and rushed him to the hospital, where he was listed in serious but stable condition.

The attack shocked the neighborhood, as the pit bull had always seemed friendly and safe around children. The incident now serves as a painful reminder that even trusted pets can behave unpredictably in a split second.