An aggressive pit bull called “Sharkie” belonging to a Manteca transient attacked two women in the Target parking lot Friday off Spreckles Avenue at noon sending both to the hospital for treatment.

Three Manteca police cars responded to find Good Samaritan Will McCarn – also a transient – had wrestled the dog to the ground awaiting the arrival of animal control officers while shoppers outside the department store looked on.

McCarn, 26, had been aided by Wayne Duval, also a transient in his late 20s, who had thrown his bicycle at the animal in an effort to stop the attack, according to witnesses. 

McCarn held the dog for animal control officers with one hand while placing the snare over the animal’s head with the other hand to allow the pit bull to be placed in the city’s animal control truck.

During McCarn’s attempt to hold the dog to the ground, another person tossed a pepper spray cannister for him to use on the animal.  He sprayed the dog in the eyes. Witnesses said caused it to temporarily back away from the woman but it then circled her again and bit her on the arm. 

The dog had been taken out of a parked SUV by the girlfriend of the dog’s owner — a transient called “Ghost” by his friends — to give it a bathroom break. The dog turned on her and bit her first as she ran to a friend’s pickup truck to get away and jumped into the bed before the vehicle sped off to the hospital. Another woman walking through the parking lot, drew the attention of the pit bull and was attacked sustaining a severe injury to her thigh area.  She was transported by friends to Doctors Hospital only blocks away.

Witness Angie Malvitz said it seemed like the dog was just mad and out to get women. She said when the white pickup truck picked up the injured woman and a male friend, the dog chased it out of the parking lot leaving telltale blood on the ground. The SUV was left in the parking lot with the couple’s belongings tied to its roof. 

The dog is being kept at the Manteca animal shelter in quarantine to make sure it is not rabid and for continued observation.  Malvitz said she has known the dog to be gentle with people and noting it would only go after other animals.  

Officers visited the injured women at the hospital early in the afternoon for their accounts of the incident. 

To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.