66-year-old Kewanee resident killed by own dog while trying to break up two dogs fighting

Kewanee police said Friday that a 66-year-old man had been killed in a dog attack.

A news release sent out by the department Friday afternoon said that at approximately 12:34 a.m., the Kewanee Police Department and Kewanee Fire Department were dispatched to the 800 block of North Vine Street in Kewanee after receiving a 911 call of an unresponsive male.

"Upon arrival, emergency personnel located a 66-year-old male in the residence not breathing and bleeding from multiple wounds. The victim was pronounced dead by paramedics on scene," said the release.

Police Chief Nicholas Welgat said that further investigation determined that earlier, at about 6 p.m., the victim had tried to separate two dogs that were fighting inside of the residence. One of the dogs then attacked and bit the victim multiple times, causing severe injuries.

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The victim contacted family members and advised them of the situation by telephone. Family members instructed him to call for an ambulance or go to the hospital for treatment if the wounds were severe, as they were out of town. The victim stated to family that he had bandaged the wounds and he was OK. When family members returned to the home after midnight, they found the victim unresponsive and called 911.

Officers impounded both dogs at the city of Kewanee Animal Control Facility per city ordinance. The aggressive dog that caused the fatal wounds was surrendered to the city of Kewanee. The dog was then euthanized, as it was deemed too vicious and a danger to the community.

The second dog is being treated for multiple injuries caused by the aggressive dog. That dog will be evaluated for a period of time by the Animal Control Facility staff to ensure that it does not pose a threat to the public before it is released to the owners.

This article originally appeared on Star Courier: Kewanee, Illinois police: 66-year-old resident killed by own dog