It's an awful twist on "Man Bites Dog" -- this time, a knife was involved. A dog attack at a favorite spot for dog lovers in the City is the talk of dog owners acrosss the Bay Area.
It's unclear why a man pulled a blade on Lenny, a pit bull. Witnesses say that the attacker was walking his own dog near the Sunset Trail last Thursday afternoon when his animal and Lenny both adopted aggressive stances. Lenny's owner verbally intervened, but the man bent over the dogs, pulled out a weapon, and stabbed Lenny multiple times before running away.
The SFPD may have difficulty prosecuting assaults on humans -- including the recent shooting death of a German tourist, for which there have been no charges filed -- but in this case, at least, they know who they are looking for. Police posted fliers and later positively identified the attacker, a 33-year-old male. His name has not be releases.
Monday Federal authorities all but promised an arrest by the end of the week.
Investigators were helped in large part by the San Francisco dog-loving community who got the word out and helped ID the suspect.
Reports indicate that the man's dog is named Denali and is an intact male pit bull. The man is said to have been a regular at several local dog parks, which make his actions all the more puzzling.
Lenny, meanwhile, is doing okay. He underwent emergency surgery for his severe internal injuries, and is said to be recovering at home after being released Saturday.
