ST. TAMMANY PARISH – An elderly woman has passed away a day after she was attacked by her two pit bulls at her Mandeville-area residence.

Shortly before 2:15 p.m. on June 25, deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office were called to a home in the 600 block of Chevreuil Street near Mandeville, after a resident called to report his 72-year-old neighbor was being attacked by her own two dogs.

When deputies arrived at the home, the attack was still going on.

As they made entry into the residence, the dogs turned their attention from the woman and began attacking the deputies, who were forced to use lethal force, killing one of the animals. The second dog fled the residence.

After rendering medical care to the woman, which included applying a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, the deputies went out to locate the second dog. It was found outside a nearby residence.

Deputies were once again forced to use lethal force after the dog came after the deputies.

The woman was transported to a local area hospital, where she passed away on June 26.

“This is very sad,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “My thoughts and prayers go out the victim’s family and to the neighbor who was injured trying to help her. I also thank the deputies who responded and provided medical care in an effort to try and save this woman’s life.”

The neighbor sustained bite wounds to his arm and was treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene, and a child at the residence received superficial wounds trying to stop the attack, but was not bit.