Northumbria Police have released a 44-year-old man on bail following the death of Ian Langley, who was fatally wounded in an attack by a suspected American Bully XL in Maple Terrace, Shiney Row near Houghton-le-Spring on Tuesday evening. Mr Langley, originally from Liverpool, was attended to by paramedics before passing away, and a dog was shot at the scene while a second dog was seized.
The arrested man was initially held on suspicion of wounding with intent but was re-arrested on suspicion of murder. While officers have stated that there is no wider threat to the public and those who were involved were known to one another, inquiries are still ongoing.
Linda Blyth, a Maple Terrace resident, recounted the occurrence: “We were told ‘go in, shut your doors’ and then I heard the gun shot. I don’t know what set the dog off, everyone is speculating.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced plans to ban the breed of dog responsible for this attack, the American Bully XL, by the end of the year under the Dangerous Dogs Act, following several other recent attacks. However, a transition period with details following a consultation on the plan is expected to be imposed.
Floral tributes have been left for Mr Langley at the scene, and police have called the incident “absolutely tragic.” BBC North East & Cumbria reports that Det Ch Insp Angela Hudson had previously noted that the individuals involved were “known to each other.” Inquiries continue into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
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