Man dies after being attacked by his dog in front of BBC documentary crew

A Met spokesman said: "A film crew making a documentary were present during the incident and called the London Ambulance Service."

Man dies after being attacked by his dog in front of BBC documentary crew

A man died after he was attacked by his Staffordshire bull terrier while a BBC documentary film crew were visiting him.

The man, named by neighbours as Mario Perivoitos, was bitten by his dog at his home in Norman Close in Wood Green, north London.

Police were called at around 10.25pm on March 20 and the 41-year-old was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead early on March 21.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as "hypovolemic shock and damage to the airway consistent with a dog bite", the Metropolitan Police said.

Hypovolemic shock occurs when the body loses more than a fifth of its blood.

A general view of a block of flats in Wood Green, north London, where a man died after he was attacked by his Staffordshire bull terrier while reportedly being interviewed for a BBC documentary. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo.
A general view of a block of flats in Wood Green, north London, where a man died after he was attacked by his Staffordshire bull terrier while reportedly being interviewed for a BBC documentary. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo.

Neighbours in the block said Mr Perivoitos was believed to have lived in the building for more than 20 years.

Geoff Morgan, 52, who was home at the time, heard a commotion coming from a flat below him.

He said: "I heard shouting - 'Get him off! Get him off me!'

"He was shouting really loudly. He was bleeding from his neck.

"There was a lot of blood."

A BBC film crew making a documentary were present during the incident, police said.

A Met spokesman said: "A film crew making a documentary were present during the incident and called the London Ambulance Service.

"They are assisting police with their inquiries as officers prepare a report for the coroner."

A BBC spokesman said: "A crew making a BBC documentary were present - but not filming - at the time of the incident and called an ambulance.

"Given the ongoing inquiries, it would not be appropriate to comment further."

An anti-social behaviour closure order posted on Mr Perivoitos's door said only the tenant was allowed to access the flat.

His death is not being treated as suspicious and next of kin have been informed, police added.

The dog, which is not a banned breed, was seized by police and remains in secure kennels.

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she believed the dog had saved Mr Perivoitos from a seizure earlier this year.

She said: "I heard he had a seizure and the dog apparently saved him.

"It was about two or three months back.

"He wasn't a bad person, but he was just a bit of a nuisance."

The neighbour, who named the dog as "Major", said she had been surprised to hear the dog had been involved in the incident.

She said: "I was a bit shocked when they said it was the dog.

"To be honest, there was a bit of shouting before that.

"The barking was going on for a good time and the police were banging down the door.

"He had blood coming down his face.

"The police knocked on the door and said the dog had killed him."

Avraam Avramidis, 31, who lived upstairs, said Mr Perivoitos had seemed polite.

He said: "For me, Mario was a good guy. He was actually very clever."

Mr Avramidis, who has lived in the apartment for seven months, said Mr Perivoitos's behaviour had declined about three months before the incident, as more and more people started visiting him at home.

He said: "Usually when the people were coming to his flat, they were sometimes fighting. There were a lot of people coming."

Two neighbours, who also did not want to be named, said Mr Perivoitos had previously lived in the apartment with his mother.

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