A wild coyote ambushed a 4-year-old boy in a Los Angeles driveway, gnawing on the helpless child in a terrifying attack caught on video.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning as the boy’s family unloaded their SUV in Carson when the animal suddenly jumped on the pint-sized victim and began to violently bite down.
The boy, who was left with puncture wounds to his leg and torso, was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, KTLA reported.
“It happened in a split second,” the boy’s grandmother told KTLA. “They only need a split second to attack, so please be aware.”
Authorities said the incident is part of a troubling pattern.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, DNA evidence linked the coyote to at least one other recent attack in Carson.
Investigators are also looking into additional encounters involving a child in Carson and another incident in nearby Gardena, raising concerns about a growing number of aggressive interactions in the area.
Wildlife officers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to find the aggressive coyote, combing through neighborhoods in hopes of capturing it before another attack occurs.
For residents, sightings are nothing new, as coyotes have long roamed streets near homes, schools and parks.
But officials warn that familiarity can quickly turn dangerous.
They urge families to keep small children and pets within sight, eliminate food sources like unsecured trash or pet food and report any unusually bold or aggressive behavior immediately.
