59-Year-Old Man Mauled to Death by Pit Bull, Neighbors Describe the ‘Violent’ Animal as ‘Like a Tiger’

A 59-year-old man was fatally attacked by a pit bull at a Staten Island home, according to reports.

Police received a call about a dog attack at around 4 p.m. local time on Sunday, Jan. 18, from a residence on New Dorp Lane, the New York Police Department (NYPD) confirmed.

When officers arrived, they found a 59-year-old man dead, with wounds on his arms and thighs that were “consistent with dog bites,” police said. Emergency medical services pronounced him dead at the scene. The victim was identified as Frank Monte.

Investigators said the man was mauled by a pit bull at the home, according to ABC7 Eyewitness News. The victim did not live at the residence where the attack occurred, the outlet reported.

Neighbors told ABC7 that the pit bull, named Bean, had a history of aggressive incidents. “Has a dark side. He bit my friend over five times,” alleged Robert Lamantia.

Another neighbor, Joseph Dantuono, said he was walking past the property on the day of the attack when the dog tried to charge at him from behind a fence, according to ABC7.

“It [was] kinda like jumping on the gate. It was kinda like a tiger jumping at me,” he said.

An additional neighbor, who was not identified, claimed the dog had been abused by its owners.

“This dog was abused because the people who lived there did not want this dog,” she told ABC7. “Just the other day, they kicked it out and it was running down the street and the owner, she was running after the dog with no shoes on.”

Several people were at the home when the attack happened, according to CBS News. Police had previously responded to the same address for unrelated drug offenses, ABC7 reported.

After the incident, the pit bull was tranquilized and taken into custody by the city’s animal care agency. Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) said the dog is currently in its care and described the case as an “active investigation.”

The NYPD is continuing to investigate and is reportedly looking for the dog’s owner as it determines whether criminal charges are warranted, according to ABC7.