British Columbia

Woman killed by family member's dog on Tk'emlups First Nation, B.C. coroner says

A 78-year-old woman was mauled to death at her home on a B.C. Interior reserve Saturday night by a family member's dog that was tied up in the backyard.

Police shot the aggressive animal so ambulance staff could attend to the victim

Police responded to the scene of the shooting at a financial institution near 25 Avenue and Hewes Way early Friday morning. (CBC)

Kamloops RCMP and the BC Coroners Service are investigating the death of an elderly female killed by a family member's dog on the Tk'emlups First Nation near Kamloops in the B.C. Interior.

Kathleen Green, 78, was mauled to death at her home on Shuswap Road West by the dog, which has been tied up in her backyard. The incident occurred on Saturday just after 5 p.m. PT.

RCMP officers called to the scene had to shoot the dog because it continued being aggressive, preventing a B.C. Ambulance crew from reaching the victim.

Green was pronounced dead at the scene.

Coroner Barb McLintock said fatal dog maulings are very rare and many questions must be answered.

She said the investigation is just beginning and the Coroners Service must do a lot of work to determine exactly why Green died.

The victim was a residential school survivor and lived with her grandson. The dog belonged to a family member.

With files from The Canadian Press