Armed police shot and killed a "dangerously out of control" dog after it attacked its owner, leaving her with life-changing injuries, and seriously injured another person.
Witnesses reported hearing five gunshots as the "incredibly distressing" attack unfolded.
Officers raced to an address in Sandown on the Isle of Wight when they were alerted to a woman being attacked by the Staffordshire bull terrier-mastiff cross at 10pm on Sunday.
A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said the dog was shot dead "to prevent any further members of the public coming to serious harm".
The woman, aged in her 40s, was rushed to hospital with "serious and potentially life-changing injuries", while a man in his 20s, who was known to the owner, suffered serious injuries, the spokesperson added.
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It is understood the man underwent surgery on Monday morning.
A woman told Mirror Online that five gunshots were heard in the semi-rural area, and the victims were helped by passers-by who were in a car.
The woman said: "They was lucky a car was going by. They stopped the dog from attacking further but I'm not too sure how they did that without being attacked themselves."
Another witness reported hearing two gunshots.
The witness told the Isle of Wight County Press: "I heard two gunshots last night. We heard that armed police had arrived after a dog began attacking people. That's all we know."
Residents reported hearing "loud bangs" as the dog was shot dead next to a white Audi convertible close to water works, the Island Echo reported.
The Audi was being driven by passers-by, the report added.
One of the victims was transferred to hospital in Salisbury, Wiltshire, by air ambulance, it was reported. The other was admitted to St Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight.
In a statement, the police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 10pm last night (Sunday 19 July) officers were called to The Fairway in Sandown to deal with reports of a dangerously out of control dog.
"The dog, described as a Staffordshire terrier and mastiff cross, attacked its owner – a woman in her 40s – leaving her with serious and potentially life-changing injuries.
"A man in his 20s, who is known to the owner, was then attacked by the dog. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
"Due to the severity of the circumstances, armed officers were deployed to the scene where the dog was dispatched to prevent any further members of the public coming to serious harm."
Inspector Matt Moss added: “We understand the circumstances will be incredibly distressing for the public, but please be reassured that it is very rare for our officers to have to deal with an incident of this nature.
“The two injured people remain in hospital at this time and our enquiries remain ongoing to establish how this incident happened.
“The dog involved did have to be destroyed at the scene by attending officers.
"We do not take these sorts of decisions lightly, and we are confident that this was absolutely necessary in the circumstances to protect the wider public, due to the threat that the dog posed.
“We would like to thank the two members of the public who stopped at the scene in their vehicle to assist the two injured people prior to the arrival of emergency services.
"Thankfully they were unharmed, and their actions may have prevented the dog from causing further injuries.”
