Pit bull attacks students at bus stop

Five high school students were taken to a hospital Friday morning after being attacked by a dog at their southeast Atlanta bus stop, police and school officials said.

None of the injuries to the students from South Atlanta High School were believed to be life-threatening, but police were forced to kill the dog to stop the attack, Atlanta police spokesman James Polite said.

Officers responding to a 911 call from the corner of Baywood and Bromack drives “witnessed a pit bull being aggressive and attacking several individuals,” Polite said.

“Someone tried to hold the dog down, but the dog was still aggressive, and was trying to bite at those that were trying to hold him down,” he said. “The dog got away and was trying to attack some more people, and for the safety of the officers and the children that were in the immediate area, an officer discharged his weapon one time, striking and killing the dog.”

The five injured students were taken by Grady EMS to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding for treatment. Their ages were not immediately available.

Just before noon, police were still trying to determine if the dog was a stray or if it belonged to someone in the area, a neighborhood off Cleveland Avenue.