AUBURN, Wash. — A 38-year-old woman is in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center after suffering injuries in a dog attack near Auburn on Tuesday.
Both the woman and a good Samaritan sustained bites in an attack in the 28800 block of 45th Place South, the King County Sheriff's Office said.
"I heard a girl scream. I looked out the window because I was working in my office and I saw the dogs attacking the girls," said Michelle Provan, a neighbor who ran out to try and stop the dogs.
King County Animal Control (KCAC) said calls came in before noon about the attack, which involved two dogs.
When deputies arrived, they began to provide aid to one of the victims. Provan said that victim was a neighbor who also came out to help.
Authorities say a pitbull began to approach deputies. After attempting to keep the dog back, a deputy made the decision to shoot the dog, according to the sheriff's office.
Animal control officers removed another dog from the house where the attack occurred.
Animal control is investigating the incident as a Class C felony -- dangerous dogs that inflict injuries to humans.
Provan said in the months leading up to the attack the neighborhood had reached out to county officials about getting the dogs removed.
Animal control officers have had to respond to the same house for previous complaints about dogs, though neither dog involved in the attack Tuesday had been involved in previous complaints.
On August 27, 2021, KCAC confiscated two German shepherds that reportedly were acting aggressively.
In April 2021, sheriff's deputies had to use a taser on a pitbull at the home as they served a search warrant.
Information on what prompted the attack wasn't immediately available, according to KCSO, and the incident is under investigation.
"Nobody deserves that. I would want someone to come and help me so I don't know why I wouldn't go try to help somebody. I just feel bad I couldn't help her," said Provan. "She's at Harborview and her life is never going to be the same and that did not have to happen."
By law, dogs involved in a bite incident must be quarantined for 10 days, KCAC said. Animal control officials will then await a court order to euthanize the animal, which cannot be adopted or kept following a biting incident.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story listed the victim's age as 18 years old. This story has been updated to reflect the victim's age is 38.