A man and his dog died during an unusual incident initially reported as a dog bite in Simi Valley Friday afternoon, authorities said.
The man’s death appeared to be from a medical emergency, possibly a heart attack, following a tussle between two canines, said Simi Valley Police Sgt. Daniel Frates.
The incident was reported shortly before 2 p.m. in the 3300 block of Big Springs Avenue. The site is in a residential neighborhood east of Tapo Street in the city’s northeast.
The man had been walking his dog, described as a pit bull, when it reportedly attacked another dog, Frates said. People intervened to separate the animals.
Early reports mistakenly said a child had been attacked by a dog, Frates said, but there were no children involved.
The man’s pit bull ended up dying apparently because the leash was on tight during the struggle to separate the dogs, the sergeant said.
Firefighters were at the scene treating the man for bites to his hands when he apparently suffered a medical emergency and collapsed, Frates said. He was treated but couldn’t be revived.
The man was in his late 60s and a Simi Valley resident, the sergeant said. His name wasn’t released pending family notifications.
Police officers responded to the scene with lights and sirens on due to initial reports of a child being attacked by a dog, Frates said. They arrived after the dogs had already been separated and subsequently pieced together what had happened.
No additional details were immediately available.
(This story was updated with new information.)
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