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Steeler Harrison's pit bull attacks young son

PITTSBURGH—A pit bull owned by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison has reportedly attacked the player's young son, but police, hospital and team officials are releasing little information.

"We're aware of the situation, but it's a personal matter for James," Burt Lauten, spokesman for the Super Bowl champions told The Associated Press. "We won't be commenting further."

An unidentified neighbor told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette one of the star player's three dogs got loose Thursday and attacked the boy, James III. His age was not immediately available.

A Franklin Park police officer warned neighbors "to keep our children inside because (Mr. Harrison's) dog had bit somebody," the neighbor told the newspaper.

The dog was removed by an animal control agency.

A Franklin Park police spokeswoman on Friday said police are not commenting because the incident remains under investigation.

Neighbors told the newspaper that a second person also was hurt and that Harrison's son was taken to UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. A hospital spokesman said the family does not want information released.

Harrison lives about 15 miles north of the city.

In 2006, then-Steelers linebacker Joey Porter was cited by police in Pine Township, another suburb north of Pittsburgh, after two of his dogs got loose and killed a miniature horse on a nearby farm. Northern Regional Police said then that Porter's dogs were licensed in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., but not in Allegheny County.

Harrison is the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and scored on a 100-yard interception return in the team's 27-23 victory over Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII. He made headlines for declining to join the Steelers on a White House visit Thursday, though he passed up the same opportunity after the Steelers beat Seattle in Super bowl XL in 2006.

The Associated Press
Posted: 05/22/2009 10:16:23 AM PDT
Updated: 05/22/2009 11:10:01 AM PDT