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‘It just dragged me:' Pit bull escapes Seattle home, bites third-graders at nearby school

SEATTLE — A pit bull escaped a Seattle home and bit a third-grade girl inside nearby St. Therese Catholic Academy on Thursday.

“Jumped on one of my friends and started attacking me,” said Doris Dickerson, the 8-year-old who was attacked and bitten on her head and hand. “It just dragged me.”

Dickerson is related to KIRO 7 reporter Michael Spears.

She spent much of the day at the hospital and was released Thursday evening with stitches in her face and hand.

St. Therese Catholic Academy is an elementary and middle school located at 900 35th Ave in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood.

Police said two dogs managed to get loose from a nearby home and entered the school grounds as students were ending their recess period. Two other students also received several minor bites.

All three students are expected to be OK.

“Screaming and then my teacher was trying to get the dog away from me,” said Dickerson, who had been in a hallway on a bathroom break when the dog got inside the school.

The school’s principal told KIRO 7’s Deedee Sun several teachers jumped in to help Dickerson.

“Two teachers, our seventh and third grade teachers, and another teacher came in and physically got the dog,” said principal Matthew DeBoer. “It was not easy, but got the dog out of the building and held it.”

Dickerson’s mom took her to Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Dickerson, whose ninth birthday is Friday, said she’s nervous about going back to school.

“I think the dog is going back there again,” said Dickerson.

However, she told KIRO 7 that her principal and teacher have made her feel better.

“My principal said he loved me and ‘we’re all praying for you,’” said Dickerson.

Animal control investigators are conducting a follow-up investigation. Click here for more information on the incident from the Seattle Police Department.

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