A good Samaritan trying to break up three pit bulls fighting in New Jersey was mauled to death when the dogs suddenly teamed up and turned on him, authorities said.
The unidentified man was walking near the Georgia King Village housing complex in Newark when he spotted the trio of angry animals locked in battle and jumped in between them to try to help, Newark public safety officials said.
The beasts, which police said were owned by someone who the victim knew — likely the reason he intervened — then turned their aggression toward him and pounced.
The victim was eventually able to break away but was bitten so badly that he lost consciousness shortly afterward.
Police arrived on scene, and the man was pronounced dead just after 9 p.m., roughly 30 minutes after he was attacked.
Animal Control also responded to the scene, authorities said.
It is unclear what happened to the dogs.