The dog that allegedly killed a 42-year-old man was recorded lunging at the face of a young boy walking down the road just days before the horror attack.
In footage obtained by the Mirror, the pitbull terrier named Prince is seen aggressively jumping up and lunging at the face of the schoolboy as he walked home from school. The shocking incident took place shortly after 3pm on November 18.
The same dog is accused of fatally mauling Akif Mustaq, in a second floor flat in Stratford, east London, around 4.30am on Wednesday, December 4. He was seen being stretchered out of the property as he was taken to hospital, where he died later.
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A person who saw the dog go for the child told the Mirror that the youngster was ages around seven-years-old and was “screaming in fear”. He added that it was a “frantic” scene.
They said: “The dad was trying to get the dog off his son. It was terrifying.”
They recalled that the boy was walking down the road with his father shortly after school had finished, towards two arguing women. The dog was with them and was going increasingly agitated, they said.
“As the boy and his dad got nearer to them the dog ran straight for the boy and jumped up and tried to bite his face.
”I think the dog got hold of his coat and being such a powerful animal he swung this poor lad right onto the floor.
“His father was doing all he could to help his son, but the dog had a firm grip on the boy’s coat. The dog let go and then tried to attack the boy again.”
(Image: Leanne McDonnell/Facebook)
The witness added that the dog eventually let go of the boy and that he didn’t appear to be to be too badly hurt, but that he was “obviously shaken”. They added that the police turned up a couple of hours later.
Following the alleged fatal attack, Leanne McDowell, 32, appeared at Barkingside Magistrates Court on Friday after being charged with owning a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.