Neighbor describes dogs as approachable

The two family dogs involved in a fatal attack on a 2-year-old boy on Wednesday were "good dogs," a neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous out of respect for the family said Thursday.

"You could pet them and everything," the neighbor said.

Las Vegas police spokesman Bill Cassell said Thursday that one of the dogs, and possibly the second one, were involved in the fatal mauling. He said the dogs looked like pit bulls.

"They were at least pit bull mixes," he said.

The boy was attacked about 4:30 p.m. while being watched by his grandmother at his home at the 6200 block of Warm River Road, near Washington Avenue and Jones Boulevard.

The boy's younger brother was unhurt. Their grandmother suffered minor injuries.

Neighbor Brandy Graham said the family was quiet and kept to themselves. They'd wave to her and say "hi" when passing by.

"It was a terrible tragedy," Graham said.

The neighbor who did not want to be identified said the boy was "very smart" and his family members were good people.

"They're a very good family," the neighbor said. "They would go out of their way to help you."

The scenario of the attack was nearly the same as that of one in North Las Vegas in September. In that case, one of two family pit bulls attacked and killed a 4-month-old girl who was being watched by her grandmother.

Both of those dogs were in the backyard before the attack, and one of them used a paw to open the living room sliding door, according to the district attorney's office.

The two dogs were shot to death by North Las Vegas police.

The district attorney's office decided not to press charges against the girl's family, citing the fact that the dogs had never attacked a human before and that the family did not permit the incident to happen.

Contact Lawrence Mower at lmower @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.