Police had to shoot and kill the dogs to end the attack.
Robert Moore, 67, was seriously injured and is listed in stable condition at Loyola Medical Center. Patricia Koprowski, 63, was treated at Elmhurst Memorial and released. City officials say the two victims were watching the dogs as a favor to the owners.
One of the pit bulls was apparently attacking another dog in the house but turned on Moore after he tried to intervene. Witnesses called police who arrived to find a pit bull latched to the victim's arm.
"They tried to club the one dog off the gentleman," said Pete DiCianni, Elmhurst mayor. "The dog would not let go. And they had to put the dog down. The second dog was in full, full motion and two of our officers, and that dog had to be put down as well."
Neighbors heard the gunshots from several blocks away.
"As I was maybe two doors down, I heard the first shot," said Rick Ladematori, neighbor. "And then there was another shot and then I saw a guy laying on the porch, I thought he got shot."
"I was scared because my 14-year-old was home with my other kids so I was nervous," said Kim Barnitz, neighbor. "She had called me and said, there's a lot of cops on our street."
"From what I understand, this gentleman could've been dead. The pit bull... had chunks of flesh off his leg and off his arms. God forbid he went after his neck," said Mayor DiCianni.
