A Brooklyn family is demanding answers after a dog attack at a Bushwick park left their 7-year-old son with serious injuries and nine stitches.
The incident happened on April 14 at Thomas Boyland Park, shortly after Angel Sanchez finished baseball practice with his father. What began as a normal evening at the field quickly turned into chaos.
According to News 12 Brooklyn, Angel was running on the field when a dog—identified by the family as a pit bull—suddenly appeared and lunged, biting him on the back of the leg. Security video from the park shows the boy sprinting with the dog chasing closely behind before making contact.
Angel’s father, Henry Sanchez, heard his son’s screams and rushed to help. “It happened so fast,” he told News 12 in Spanish. Family friend Tony Nunez, who witnessed the attack, described the dog as “relentless.”
The NYPD confirmed officers responded to a call about “a vicious animal in a park” that evening. When they arrived, they found a child with a bite wound on his lower back and scratches on his leg. Angel was taken to Maimonides Medical Center and is recovering.
Speaking to WABC, Angel recalled the terrifying moment. “I didn’t see it, he was going behind me,” he said. “I pushed him away, but he got me again, and then I screamed.” The attack left him with injuries to his back, thigh, and legs that required nine stitches. “I was bleeding and crying,” he said.
Henry Sanchez’s response was as instinctive as it was extraordinary. According to WABC, he sprinted from home plate to the outfield, tackled the dog, and bit it on the neck to force it to release his son. Video footage shows the dog’s owner also trying to intervene, punching the animal in an attempt to stop the attack.
But moments later, the owner reportedly fled the scene. “He left and didn’t come back,” Henry said.
The Sanchez family is now calling for accountability. “I don’t want another parent going through this,” Henry told News 12 Brooklyn. He added that all he wants is an apology.
Police say they are still searching for the dog and its owner. In the meantime, Angel—who dreams of playing for the New York Yankees—is recovering and staying strong.
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