Verified incident record · 2025-10-02

Lillington girl seriously injured in Akita attack; neighbor also hurt

Sheriff’s deputies said an escaped, tethered dog attacked an 8-year-old on October 2, 2025. A rescuer was injured, another neighbor shot the dog, and the owner and rescuer dispute how the attack began.

Serious; nonfatalAkita (Harnett County Sheriff’s Office reported)Lillington, NC

Date2025-10-02 · Approximately 5:50 p.m. EDT (sheriff’s response time)

LocationBison Lane neighborhood, Lillington; police described the encounter as occurring while children played; exact address omitted

Victim(s)One 8-year-old girl seriously injured, plus neighbor Brian Ellis, 51, injured attempting rescue; both taken to hospitals

Dogs involvedOne 2-year-old dog identified as an Akita by investigators; fatally shot by another neighbor during the attack

Injury severitySerious nonfatal injuries reported for the 8-year-old girl; she was transferred to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Brian Ellis received hospital treatment. WRAL quoted Ellis describing lacerations and skull fractures for the child; no independently obtained medical chart or later outcome was reviewed.

Breed attributionAkita (Harnett County Sheriff’s Office reported)The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office identified the animal as a 2-year-old Akita in reporting by ABC11; WRAL also described it as an Akita. Breed is official/media-attributed, not verified by pedigree or DNA.

Incident summary

On October 2, 2025, Harnett County deputies responded to a reported dog attack on Bison Lane in Lillington. A loose dog seriously injured an 8-year-old girl while children were playing, and Brian Ellis, 51, was also injured trying to intervene. Both received hospital care; the girl was transferred to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Another neighbor shot and killed the dog. Investigators identified the dog as a 2-year-old Akita that escaped its tether. The owner later told WRAL that video showed children provoking or drawing the dog from his yard, while Ellis disputed that interpretation. The sheriff’s investigation remained open at the time of the October 5 report. No later medical prognosis, legal finding, or criminal charge was independently verified.

What the sources say

ABC11 — Child in hospital after dog attack, neighbor saves her by killing the animal, Harnett sheriff saysLocal television report citing Harnett County Sheriff’s Office and EMS response · Published 2025-10-04

Sheriff’s preliminary account: a dog slipped its tether, attacked an 8-year-old girl, injured a man trying to help, and was shot by another neighbor; both human victims were hospitalized.

Open original report ↗

WRAL — Lillington dog owner, bite victim share conflicting story after attackOriginal interviews with the injured rescuer and the dog owner · Updated 2025-10-05

WRAL reported that the owner believed video showed children luring the dog from his property; the rescuer disputed that explanation. These conflicting accounts are attributed rather than presented as a resolved finding.

Open follow-up report ↗

Verification notes

High for event date, two injured people, sheriff-identified dog type and hospitalization based on local original reporting. Disputed initiation accounts remain unresolved. Child’s exact clinical injuries partly rely on witness statements.

Harnett County Sheriff’s Office said the incident was under investigation; no published finding on fault, charges or dangerous-dog orders was established in the reviewed reports. Dog reportedly shot and killed at scene.

The plotted coordinate is the approximate town center, not a residential address.