INDY=The city's mayor on Wednesday said he'll ask the City-County Council to ban pit bulls in Marion County, citing recent dog attacks on residents.
"More kids and more people in our community (are) getting torn up by pit bulls, and I'm just sick to death of it," Mayor Bart Peterson told 6News' Rick Hightower.
Several pit-bull attacks on people were reported in the city this month. One of the most recent incidents happened last week, when a pit bull injured the 7-year-old daughter of its owner's girlfriend.
"We're seeing people being mauled in our city and kids being mauled and disfigured for life. Undoubtedly there will be one killed before too long, at this rate," Peterson said.
An off-duty police officer on Thursday evening shot a pit bull suspected of injuring a 7-year-old girl on the city's northeast side, authorities said.
The girl was taken to Riley Hospital for Children after a dog that her mother was temporarily caring for attacked the child in a neighborhood near 42nd Street and German Church Road shortly before 7 p.m., police said.
The child underwent surgery to repair extensive damage to an arm and was listed in fair condition Friday, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.
An 11-year-old girl narrowly escaped serious injury in a pit bull attack earlier this week on Indianapolis' east side.
Witnesses said the dog also went after another child and two adults before being subdued, 6News' Renee Jameson reported.
Lanikki Members said a neighbor's pit bull attacked her as she went to remind a classmate about a school project
A 3-year-old girl is recovering from her injuries after she was bitten in the face by a neighbor's pit bull in the Mars Hill area of Indianapolis Saturday.
Rayvin Crawford has been at Methodist Hospital since the attack. Her parents told 6News' Julie Pursley that she was playing with another child in the neighbor's yard when the dog bit her.
Rayvin Crawford was carried home and taken to a hospital, where she underwent surgery and was given more than 200 stitches.
"Her face was ripped apart," said Rene Robinson, the girl's mother.