Pit Bulls attack 5-year-old boy

BUSH, IL (KFVS) -A 5-year-old boy is clinging to life after being attacked by pit bull dogs while he played in the city park.




The brutal attack on little Winston Bankston happened on Friday morning at the Village of Bush public park.



Winston and his brother were playing on the playground equipment when the dogs attacked.



Bush city worker Lester Taylor heard the boy's mother screaming for help.



"I was checking water meter, and I heard this woman screaming," said Taylor.



" I look up and I don't see anyone. So I get in my truck and come around the corner. And that's when I see three pit bulls on woman and kid biting them and chewing them up. I drove straight for them honking my horn and screaming at the dogs."



Taylor was able to distract the dogs long enough for Regina Culpepper to scoop up little Winston and run into the village hall.



"Scared me to death, I hope I never have to see anything like that again in my life," Taylor said.



Hurst Chief of Police Ron Harvel was the first officer on the scene. He described is as the worst thing he's ever seen in his years in law enforcement.



"What I saw was a horrific scene, the mother was sitting on the floor holding the child covered in blood, the child covered in blood. I was shocked," Chief Ron Harvel said.



"I ran back outside and called for an ambulance. That's when I saw the dogs over on the west side of the park by a big tree. I grabbed my shotgun and killed one and wounded another one."



Winston was airlifted to a Saint Louis hospital in critical condition.



"I spoke with a member of the family this morning. And Winston is in ICU at Cardinal Glennon, he is in a medical induced coma and on a ventilator," Chief Harvel said.



The Williamson County Sheriff's office is now handling the investigation into the dog attack.