Seven unrestrained pit bulls attacked and killed a 46-year-old bicycle rider earlier this month as he cycled peacefully through a Kansas City neighborhood.

The attack that began with two menacing dogs began circling the rider until he toppled from his bike; five other dogs immediately joined in the fray that reports said lasted 23 minutes.

Chris Culbertson was still being mauled when police arrived shortly before 10 p.m. according to DogsBite.org.

During the fatal assault, a female neighbor tried to stop the dogs with a golf club and wound up seriously injured.

Both were hospitalized, and Culbertson spent four days there before dying of septic shock caused by his wounds. Little wonder considering he'd sustained more than 300 bites and over 100 lacerations. The beasts reportedly had ripped off a cheek, his chin and the heels from both feet.

Authorities discovered a hole in the owner's fence from which they had escaped. Law enforcement seized the dogs six days after the maulings.

The Kansas City Star reported that police had received at least 15 complaints about the dogs before the attack, but no action had been taken by the KC Pet Project (the city's animal control service). Believe I'd be replacing that........

© El Dorado News Times