Dog fatally mauls woman on Long Island

NEW YORK - A woman was fatally mauled by a family dog on Long Island Wednesday afternoon. 

Nassau County Police say a man came bay to his Albertson home around 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon to discover his 70-year-old wife had been fatally mauled by the family’s pit bull.

Officials say the family was already mourning the loss of their stepson who died in a motorcycle crash within the last few weeks. It was his 7-year-old dog that turned on the woman.

When officers showed up, the dog turned violent and charged them, and officers said they had no choice but put him down. 

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"The scene was pretty horrific we don’t know what time the attack took place," said police commissioner Patrick Ryder. "There was obviously a lot of mutilation on the body legs face."

The Nassau County SPCA says there were no prior incidents involving this dog. 

The officer who shot the dog is a 15-year veteran.  He was taken to a hospital for an evaluation.