Man, 54, dies in suspected XL bully dog attack - Murder probe launched as dog owner arrested

Northumbria police arrested a 44-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

They also seized another canine, also believed to be an American XL bully dog.

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Officers received a report that a dog had attacked a man on Maple Terrace, in Shiney Row at 7pm yesterday (October 4).

Paramedics attended to the man’s severely wounded throat, according to witnesses at the scene.

However, their attempts were to no avail, as he succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

The 44-year-old man was initially arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, but once the man died, was re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

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The arrested dog owner remains in custody.

A resident of Maple Terrace, Linda Blyth, saw the aftermath of the attack on the grassy area outside her home.

She said police urged residents to vacate the scene and go inside.

“We were told 'go in, shut your doors' and then I heard the gun shot,” she said.

The dog which mauled the 55-year-old was shot in its owner's garden.

“I don't know what set the dog off, everyone is speculating,” she said.

Detectives working on the investigation believe that both men knew each other.

DCI Angela Hudson of Northumbria police said: “First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the man’s family and loved ones. This is an absolutely tragic incident, and we will continue to offer them support in any way that we can. A full investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of what has happened.

“I would like to reassure the wider community that there is no ongoing risk to them, and officers will remain in the area to offer reassurance and carry out inquiries. While our investigation is at an early stage, we do believe those involved were known to each other. I would also continue to ask people not to speculate about the incident online, including on social media, while enquiries are ongoing.”

After a series of attacks across the country, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced last month that the breed would be banned by the end of the year.

The Prime Minister called the breed “danger to our communities” and will ban them under the Dangerous Dogs Act.