9-year-old girl mauled to death in tragic pit bull attack

What should have been a fun play date took a tragic turn when a pet pit bull mauled and killed a 9-year-old girl in Long Island on Sunday, the New York Daily News reported.

The little girl's identity has not been released by law officials.

A shocked neighbor who tried to intervene described the bloody scene to the New York Daily News.

%shareLinks-quote="The dog had the girl in its mouth like a rag doll." type="quote" author="Neighbor" authordesc="" isquoteoftheday="false"%

Police say the girl was playing with two friends in a fenced-in area of the backyard around 10:30 on Sunday morning when the attack occurred.

%shareLinks-quote="I took my broom and tried to push it away ... No parent wants to see what I saw. " type="quote" author="Neighbor" authordesc="" isquoteoftheday="false"%

Witnesses also claim the victim's mother also attempted to intervene and pull the dog off.

The mother allegedly left the three friends unattended for a brief moment while she went inside to fetch something.

%shareLinks-quote="Neighbors came running after hearing screams coming from the two girls as they watch their friend being mauled by the pit bull." type="spreadWord"%

Three Nassau County cops arrived at the scene, upon which the pit bull released the girl from its death grip and charged at one of the officers. The officer open fired at the dog, killing the creature.

%shareLinks-quote="We were sleeping, then we heard screaming. Then we heard three shots ... A couple minutes after, we saw the paramedics bring out a stretcher with a kid. Her body was small." type="quote" author="Amrita Subkaran" authordesc="Neighbor" isquoteoftheday="false"%

Police say the victim was rushed to a local hospital where she succumbed to her devastating wounds several hours later.

The owner of the dog is believed to be 29-year-old Carlyle Arnold, who was dating the mother. Arnold was arrested at the scene for an unrelated charge of violating an order of protection, according to New York Daily News.

A Nassau County detective told Newsday that no official complaints had ever been lodged against the animal.

Arnold's roommate Anthony Jett was stunned that the 2-year-old pit bull named "Kane" could be responsible for such a brutal attack.

%shareLinks-quote="I would put my hand in his mouth, I'd pick him up under his armpits -- he wouldn't bite. He was very gentle." type="quote" author="Anthony Jett" authordesc="Roommate" isquoteoftheday="false"%

Are all pit bulls dangerous? Watch the video below to find out:

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