A man has been killed by an XL Bully dog in Sunderland.
The force said it received a report of an attack at an address in Maple Terrace in Shiney Row, Sunderland, at around 6.55pm.
Emergency services attended the scene and the man, aged 54, was taken to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries.
Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he died on Tuesday night.
The man’s next of kin have been informed.
A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent to cause Grievous Bodily Harm. Following the man’s death, he has since been re-arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody at this time.
The dog was killed at the scene.
While further assessment will be carried out, officers said they believe the dog to be an XL Bully breed.
A second dog, also believed to be an XL Bully breed, was also seized as a precaution.
The latest attack comes as the Government looks to ban American XL bully dogs in response to a series of attacks.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to ban the breed in September under the Dangerous Dogs Act by the end of the year.
An official spokesman for Mr Rishi said a “transition period” would be introduced, with details likely to follow a consultation on the plan.
Owners could face a requirement to neuter their dogs and muzzle them in public, the Government’s chief vet has suggested.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said in September: “We will need to safely manage the existing population of these dogs. Exactly what that looks like will be a topic for the consultation.
“And there will need to be some sort of transition period.”
Detective Chief Inspector Angela Hudson, of Northumbria Police, said: “First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the man’s family and loved ones.
“This is an absolutely tragic incident, and we will continue to offer them support in any way that we can.
“A full investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of what has happened.
“I would like to reassure the wider community that there is no ongoing risk to them, and officers will remain in the area to offer reassurance and carry out enquiries.“While our investigation is at an early stage, we do believe those involved were known to each other.
