As holiday shoppers take to stores, a coyote lurking near a San Diego shopping mall mauled a 3-year-old girl and another child— sending them to the hospital, authorities said.
The 3-year-old girl was bitten on the arm and hip while the other child was also injured around 9 PM Tuesday near the Westfield UTC shopping mall in University City, according to law enforcement officials.
A coyote attacked a 3-year-old girl near the San Diego Westfield mall, sending her to the hospital. Autumn Sky – stock.adobe.com
The mall houses high-end retailers like Nordstrom. Bloomberg via Getty Images
The attack happened at 4500 La Jolla Village Drive in the parking lot, less than a minute walk from the Westfield shopping center that houses high-end retailers like Nordstrom, Tommy Bahama, J.Crew, and Madewell.
The children were rushed to the hospital, while officers from the San Diego Humane Society and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife tried to track down the coyote– to no avail, the SDPD said.
“Officers have collected DNA samples, which have been sent to the CDFW forensics lab for testing,” The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.
While the coyote is still on the lam, officers from CDFW are working with USDA Wildlife Services to locate and capture the culprit.
If you find yourself face-to-face with an aggressive coyote, the best thing to do is “haze” the canine by standing tall, waving your arms and yelling, accordion to the Humane Society.
“Hazing,” or standing tall and waving your arms, can ward off a coyote attack. Harry Collins – stock.adobe.com
Using noise makers like horns, bells or whistles or spraying the coyote with water will also deter the animal, the Humane Society says.
“The coyote may run away, but then stop after a distance and look at you. It is important to continue to haze the coyote until they completely leave the area,” the Humane Society advises.