By ,
Published January 25, 2016
A pit bull attack killed a 7-year-old boy in North Carolina and wounded his older brother Sunday, local media reported.
Talen West and his brother Jaylen, 8, were playing in the woods near their home in Lumberton when their neighbor's dog attacked, according to WRAL. The kids' cousin, Devin West, said Jaylen tried and failed to fight the dog off his brother.
Emergency workers rushed both boys to the hospital, where the younger brother was pronounced dead with puncture wounds on his body, Fox 8 reports. The older brother was released with injuries to his leg.
The dog died at the scene, possibly from a heart attack, WRAL adds.
Investigators say they're looking into what may have provoked the dog. The West family said the animal had no history of violent behavior.
"Everybody is just sad and under a lot of stress right now," Devin West said.
Lumberton is roughly 35 miles southwest of Fayetteville.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/pit-bull-kills-7-year-old-north-carolina-boy-officials-say